And How Was Your Day?
by Lione 'Tabuukilla' Fortuna
Summary: He'd always ask that as soon as she sat down in his coffee shop. The two quickly struck up a friendship... or maybe he was just a complaint sounding board for all the crazy things IF always had to deal with. Either way, he was always there to ask that question. After all, it was good to be polite to your customers. Even if you were just an ordinary coffee shop owner in Planeptune.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi I'm trash with descriptions. Also, I definitely wasn't watching Is the Order a Rabbit when I came up with this idea.**

 **Nope.**

 **Not at all.**

 **I also definitely wasn't playing Neptunia while listening to the opening of ItOaR. Absolutely not.**

 **But yes, it's another one of my "let's just look at the life of an ordinary person" story ideas, similar to Dysfunction Junction. I really do like writing this kind of thing, just ordinary people in a more fantastic setting. Plus is means I don't have to write battles or anything like that. A very calm sort of thing.**

 **Either way, this is my first foray into Neptunia fanfics. I've really loved the franchise for a long time, but I've always been kind of scared to write for it (similar to Touhou) since I didn't want to be shredded for absolutely fucking up characterization or messing anything up, really. So, a more relaxed story might help me get into the groove of things for if I want to write another one down the road.**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading my preface. Let's get started. Hopefully I didn't screw up too hard anywhere.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1:** Easygoing Days

* * *

"And how was your day?"

" _Wonderful_ , thanks for asking."

I can't help but laugh at her usual sarcastic and tired delivery while pouring the steamed milk into her coffee. Alright, very, very careful…

"I see you still are bad at making latte art."

"I'm trying, you know? Give me a break."

I decide to stop in my attempt, trying not to look at the glob of white in her cup, and put the steamed milk off to the side. There goes attempt fifty seven.

"Still though, IF, you don't need to rub it in my face."

Even if I'm telling her that, I'm still smiling. She rolls her green eyes before adjusting her dark brown hair so it's not in the way of her mouth before taking her blue porcelain cup and lifting it to her mouth. She has a small sip before putting it back down on the glass platter that sits on top of a mahogany finish countertop, matching the rest of the aesthetic of the small coffee shop.

"Mhm, as good as always, Elliot. Even if your attempt at making a flower turned into a cloud, the coffee still tastes good."

"Why thank you. I do aim to please." I say, giving a small theatrical bow, likely inspiring another eye roll from her. "Work was difficult again?"

"Yes, though you know I can't tell you any of the finer details."

"I'm aware. Sensitive stuff today, right?"

"Mhm."

I'm only on a cursory understanding of what her job entails, but sounds like some real spy-like stuff right out of a book. As far as I can tell, she works in information gathering, but frequently lends a hand to the Guild, but I figured it's best not to ask about the former. Stuff like that is way out of my league.

"I thought you were usually closed at this time, though." she says as I start bagging the leftover pastries of the day. "You were supposed to close up an hour ago, I think."

"There was a party here tonight." I respond, though it's only a half-truth. I mean, I'm sure people would have assumed it was a party, with how many people came in here today. Completely coincidental.

Of course, the real reason was that I found it odd she hadn't came in today. IF comes in almost like clockwork. If she hadn't shown up in another hour, I would have closed, but oh well.

"Hmm…"

Of course, I am a terrible liar, and for someone who I am fairly sure deals in spy-stuff, she can see right through it.

"Really now?" She says, clearly skeptical of my claim.

"Positive."

I don't know if she really believes me, but she doesn't press any further. Something I'm quite thankful for.

"By the way, would you like any of these? On the house." I ask as I continue to go through the pastries.

IF shoots me a questioning look. "Are you sure?"

"They would be thrown out otherwise, so feel free to have any of them." I say while shrugging.

IF leans back from her seat, looking at the pastries in the glass display. "Then, the cherry danish."

"Anything else for now?"

"For now?"

"Well, if you want to take any of them home with you, that's fine too."

She gives me another questioning look. "Are you allowed to do that?"

I shrug while giving my answer. "I mean, I own the place. Besides, there's nothing to really do with them other than give them away, eat them myself, throw them out, or wait to go donate them elsewhere."

"Um, then I'll take half of what's left. Compa likes the things you make, so it'll be a nice gift."

I shoot her an inquisitive look, asking for assistance. "Compa was…"

"The nurse, light-ish brown hair, wears—"

"Oh, right, the nurse in that rather fluffy looking sweater." I close my eyes and try to recall her for a second before nodding. "Alright, I'll box them up."

First though, I take the tongs and put the cherry danish on a small platter before sliding it over to IF, the glass platter sliding down the mahogany finished counter that matches the rest of the old, classical wooden style of the cafe.

Then, I start boxing up half of the leftover delicacies, with the occasional bit of glazed sugar falling onto the dark red apron that goes over my brown khakis and black button short-sleeved shirt.

"Aaand, done." I say, putting the box in front of her before waving off the card she offers me. "No, no, I told you, it's fine."

"I'd feel bad if I didn't pay you for it."

The two of us look right into each other's eye, having a silent debate. We maintain eye contact for a solid thirty seconds. I break first and look away, taking her card.

"Fine. But I'm only charging half." I mutter, going over to the register and running through the charges. "Four hundred credits sound good to you?"

"...that's okay. But you have to think of yourself, you know?"

"Hey, I'm very much in the black, mind you." I say, shaking her card as if I was wagging a finger at her.

I run through the transaction and print the receipt, pulling a pen from a nearby holder and giving it to her to sign and returning her card. IF puts her coffee down and signs it before handing it back to me, and I put the receipt in the plastic basket I use to store today's receipts.

The two of us make some idle chit-chat as she finishes up her snack. Afterwards, she gets up from her seat and stretches, her dark blue (oversized) sleeves falling down and exposing her arms as she's wearing only a black sleeveless underneath that coat, before she brings them back down. She then takes the box into her hands before nodding to me.

"Good night, IF."

"Good night, Elliot. Thanks for the food."

"No problem. I'll walk you out, I have to lock the door, anyways."

I follow her out to the door and see her off before going back inside and locking the door. Afterwards, I go grab the dishes she used and put them in the sink in the kitchen, starting to wash them.

IF is a bit of a strange one. She's been a regular for some time now, I'm not quite sure how long it's been, actually. However, we've seemed to strike up a small acquaintanceship with each other, or at least she views me in enough of a positive light that she doesn't mind admitting we know each other to some of her friends.

Or at the very least, to Compa and I think two of her other friends if they're friends. Er, I guess that's just _one_ of her friends, then. At least.

After cleaning up the dishes, I quietly make sure everything is put away before unlocking the back door, put next to a jukebox and labeled "no entry", stepping inside and relocking the door behind me. I then flip a switch and start climbing the stairs, admiring the wooden frames holding a variety of pictures along the wall, mostly of the previous owner and his favorite customers.

"I'm home."

I say that to no one in particular as I open the door at the top of the stairs, heading back into my room. It's a very sparsely decorated place, but I keep it very clean. The hardwood floor is still sparkling, the rugs on top of them are kept without blemish. I have a bed in the back corner away from the street-facing windows that have thick blue curtains covering them.

Ah, right.

I log into the computer terminal and compute the balances for today. Still very much in the black, just like I told IF. It's not exactly the most famous place here, but it's enough to make a living and much more.

Alright, it was a good day today.

Logging off the computer terminal, I decide it's time to go hit the shower and then head off to bed. Tomorrow'll be just as busy as today.

* * *

"Good morning!"

"Oh, hi… ah, ah, ah, Compa, right?" I say, glancing over her. White fluffy sweater, light brown hair, and a rather good figure that would turn a lot of heads. The last of those is being proven very true right now, as I can see some customers giving her a few glances.

"Yes. I'm glad you remembered me, haha~"

"Well, I try not to forget any customer's names. I didn't take you for the morning coffee drinker, though."

She smiles before nodding. "There was something I wanted to ask, though."

"Oh?"

"Um, does your store do catering…?"

"Catering? Uh, hold on. Are you in a hurry?"

"No, not at all."

"Alright, give me a few minutes to take care of the customers behind you and then we can talk."

It takes a bit, but eventually I clear out the line behind her and then have Compa step off to the side in case any other customers come in and line up.

"So, catering? I haven't actually done catering with the shop, but I'm willing to hear you out."

"Yes, um, the hospital is having a small event in three weeks and I volunteered to find a place to cater. It's in the morning, so I thought having coffee and treats would be a good idea!" She says with a big smile on her face.

"I see… how many people are you looking to feed?"

"Around fifty people?" Compa answers, a bit of unsureness in her voice.

"Fifty, huh…"

I close my eyes and think. That's going to be a lot of baking along with preparing coffee. I suppose I needed to replenish my supplies this weekend anyways. It can't hurt to buy a little extra.

"Hmm, can you have someone pick it up or do you need me to deliver it?"

"Oh, someone can come pick it up if delivering it is too troublesome."

"Alright. I think I should be able to do it…? I never thought about catering, but I'll try to help you out. You are a friend of IF's, after all."

Compa looks at me as if I just said something strange.

"Did I say something wrong…?"

"No, it's just… I'm a bit surprised you said yes so easily even though you haven't done catering before. I was a little afraid you wouldn't."

"Well, like I said, you're friends with IF, so I'd be willing to make an attempt. I'm sure she'll be happy to know your event was a success. That, and it might serve as some advertising. Can you stop by tomorrow or maybe in the afternoon? I should have a quote for you."

"Okay, thanks!"

"Anyways, can I get you anything before you go?"

"Oh, the cinnamon apple danish, please."

"Coming right up."

After ringing her up, I bid her farewell, and start doing the mental calculations. Depending on what she wants, the price can range. I suppose some cinnamon rolls should be in the mix, a few types of danishes, maybe some croissants, some muffins… yes, okay. Maybe I'll run the prices for fifty five, since she seemed to be a little unsure, so maybe more people might show up.

I grab a napkin and start writing down prices and multiplying things out. Add that with coffee, yes, enough for fifty or fifty five people, mhm. I know I have some coffee to go boxes, so I can just buy more of those to help Compa out.

I double check the numbers during the slower hours of the day, eventually coming up to something around fifteen thousand credits, though I could go down to fourteen and still be well in the black. I hope that's not too steep for her. If she agrees, I do make quite a pretty penny back.

As usual, right on time in the evening, IF walks in through the doors, this time accompanied by Compa.

"Hello IF, hello Compa. Oh, Compa, I finished the quote for the catering."

"Oh, good!" She says, a big smile forming on her face.

"Catering…?"

I hear IF questioning it as Compa walks over to the counter, where I slide the napkin calculations over.

"It's not too bad, is it…?"

"No, this is actually really good!"

"Oh, phew. I would hate to think I was overcharging."

"But don't business owners usually like making money?" IF says as she takes a seat, probably setting herself up for a quick witty snipe.

"Well, it's easier to have customers if they don't feel like they're getting ripped off. Anyways Compa, if it looks good, I can type up a formal contract and receipt for you later so you can get it signed off and we can talk payment and delivery."

"Mhm, okay. Can I take a picture of it?"

"Go ahead."

Compa takes out her phone and snaps a picture as I glance over at IF.

"So, anything for you tonight?"

"Just the usual for me."

"Pastry and all?"

"Mhm." IF says, nodding.

I move over to get her coffee, no extra sugar and two creams, and a cheese danish. As I put the danish on a small glass platter to match the coffee cup and push them over to IF, who passes me her card for payment.

Compa slides the napkin over to me after I return IF's card, tucking the napkin into my back pocket. "Oh, can I get something as well?"

"Sure, what can I get for you?"

"Um, let's see, I think a medium coffee. Cream and sugar, please, aaaand… um, which muffin is that?"

"Oh, that's…" I lean back, looking at the display. "Cinnamon crumb muffin."

"Then yes, I'll have that one."

"Sounds good, that comes up to three hundred credits."

Compa silently hands me her card, which I take and process her payment before handing it back to her and begin preparing her request. With a bit of flair, I slide them down, having the platters stop right in front of her, causing her to smile.

"You really know how to make a show, don't you?"

"Well, I got bored sometimes. Eventually I got it pretty down pat how much force to use."

"You've got plenty of free time, huh?"

"Hey, I keep busy." I say in reply to IF's snipe. "Busy enough to stay open, anyways. So, how was your day? You actually look kind of tired."

"Where do I begin?"

With that, IF recounts her rather tiring tale of paperwork, paperwork, a bit of bureaucracy. and more paperwork. However, we're interrupted halfway through by a small giggle fit from Compa.

"Something funny?" I ask as both IF and I turn to look at her.

"No, it's just… it's almost like a husband complaining to his wife about work over dinner." she says, a small smile on her face. "How long have you known each other?"

IF and I glance at each other before giving Compa unamused looks.

"What is it now IF, a few months at most?"

"I think so. I don't keep track."

"Hehehe, but still. You two kind of are like that."

IF and I exchange another look before I shrug.

"You know, when _did_ we start doing that?" I ask, hoping IF has a concrete answer.

"I don't really know. Maybe it was when I became a regular?"

"You did always like to sit at the counter." I note, thinking back on the earlier days. "I guess we just ended up talking one day, huh? Probably late at night, not a lot of other customers, maybe I was just bored."

"I imagine so. The exact details aren't exactly something I remember too well. Ah, well, I guess it's not exactly too important, though."

"Yep. What's more important is that we did meet and that you didn't hate me."

"You don't exactly have a mean bone in you, kind of hard to hate someone like that. I'm sure you couldn't even hurt a fly."

"I swat them all the time though, especially when they try to get on the food if someone leaves the door open too long."

"You know what I meant." IF says with a small eye roll.

"I know, I know. Anyways, where were we? Oh, um, sorry to ignore you, Compa."

"No, no, don't mind me." she says, waving us off."It's good enough to see Iffy talking to someone."

She shoots Compa an annoyed yet flustered look. "H-hey, I talk to people all the time! It's part of the job."

"But when I talk to your coworkers, they say you tend to keep to yourself out the job. I'm just happy that you've found someone you can be a little open with."

IF doesn't seem to have a comeback to that, so she quietly goes back to her coffee, causing Compa to giggle as IF seems a little embarrassed about it.

"I'm happy to be of service, then." I say, moving the conversation away from this topic. "By the way Compa, IF has mentioned before that you cook."

"I do, yes. Actually, I'm the only one in our friend group that can really cook~"

I look at IF, who glances away.

"Is that so? That's a surprise."

"Iffy's learning, though, but she's rarely home so it's kind of hard to find a time to teach her." Compa says with a bright smile. "You should have seen her when we started out, though."

"H-hey, Compa—!"

"We set off the smoke detectors trying to make scrambled eggs, and—"

"Compa!"

Compa stops in her tale, forcefully interrupted by IF, who quickly realizes how loud she was and immediately turns back to her coffee, looking down into it and muttering something to herself.

"It must have been really something. After all, I don't think I've ever seen IF be so red in the face before."

I decide to ignore the small glare that IF shoots me at that comment.

"However I'm sure she's improving with every lesson. If everyone's been surviving off of your cooking, then it's safe to say she must be learning from a natural master."

"Oooh, ehehe, well, I do like to make food for everyone, so it was only natural I started getting really good at it."

"Yeah, Compa was good, but she's only gotten better. Speaking of which, how did you start in this coffee shop business?"

"Hm, that's a good question." I close my eyes and smile, thinking back on those early days. "Well, truth be told it isn't my coffee shop, or at least it wasn't. I inherited it from the man who taught me how to make everything here."

"Oh, that explains a lot, then."

"Hm?"

IF takes a sip of her coffee before speaking. "You just seemed too young to have opened up a shop on your own, especially since this place had a small following for a while now."

"Oh, is that how you found me?"

"I was curious."

So yes.

"I see. Well, I'm glad to have been a worthy enough successor for you to stop by. I'll inform the previous owner, then. I'm sure he'll still find a way to one-up me, though. Old man could never let me have a victory when it came to this shop."

I make it a point to be smiling when I say this, so it's evident that it's something lighthearted. Gregory might have been a hardass at times, but he was a good man. I'm glad my parents were friends with him, too.

"Though…" I turn to Compa, who smiles, and raise an eyebrow, prompting her to talk. "...I wonder if he could top a CPU coming here~"

"Well, it'd blow him away, for one. It's not like I'm here at a famous shop or anything. Maybe we're a little better known in this area of the city in particular, but well, not so much elsewhere. South side of town is a little out of my influence."

"Hmhmm, but I do like your sweets. I think I should bring some for Nep-Nep."

I turn back to IF, who coughs while she's drinking. I quietly pass her a napkin, with which she cleans up the drops of coffee that got on the counter as she gets her composure back.

"Are you okay, Iffy?"

"I'm fine, Compa. Just ah, had to cough with really bad timing. Oh, thanks…" IF takes the other two napkins I hand her, using them to continue cleaning her immediate area and also wipe her mouth. "Are you sure, though? I'm pretty sure that no matter how good the cake Elliot makes is, Neptune would prefer pudding."

"Well… I suppose I could try my hand at making pudding?" I say with a shrug. "I keep a small stock in the fridge seeing as well, we _are_ in Planeptune, it would be foolish not to have any, but it's mostly just store bought."

"Hehehe, well, maybe I should bring her here when you finish perfecting your recipe." Compa replies with a big, toothy smile.

"Only the best for our CPU." I then notice IF's rather pointed look at me. Does she… not want me to make pudding…? I mean, IF seems very loyal to Planeptune, but I suppose it might be loyalty to the city and not necessarily the CPU? But then again… "Is um, something wrong, IF?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong. Just, well, do you really want Nep coming here, Compa? It's a really nice place with all of this furniture. Something probably would break."

"Awww, I think you don't give Nep-Nep enough credit."

As they're talking, it occurs to me that these two personally know the CPU of Planeptune. Oh.

 _Oh._

I really should get started on making that pudding. I'll devote tonight to looking up various recipes, figuring out how to put my own twist on it, and then spend the weekend perfecting it. Agh, that's going to be extra expenses, too. I can afford it, but no one likes new expenses.

"Elliot?"

"Bwah, oh, uh, sorry IF. Got caught up in my thoughts about making pudding."

"You're really going to make it, huh?"

"Well, it's no secret that our CPU likes pudding. I bet she'll be able to tell that it was storebought, so you know, would look kind of bad on me. Besides, might be able to drum up a bit of business, making my own pudding. Does she have a favorite type?"

Compa nods from the side. "She really does like like ah, it looks a bit like flan…?"

"Oh, so like a caramel pudding, I see, I see." Oh, good, good, I can even keep it chilled, too. Perfect. That means I don't have to devote space on the display rack for it all the time, I can just keep it refrigerated. "Hmmm, that's doable."

That definitely narrows down the recipes I have to look for.

"Already have a plan in mind?"

"Oh, definitely." I say to IF, who closes her eyes and exhales. "Something wrong?"

"No, just… well, I wish sometimes people would have your kind of work ethic." She says, pausing halfway through as if to carefully choose her words.

For some reason, I get the feeling that's not what she really means.

"If you're worried about the place breaking, I have insurance. I mean, it can't be too hard to replace a table. It might suck being down a table or having to close while repairs are made, though."

IF's look doesn't change, but she quietly goes back to drinking her coffee.

"But ah, haha, maybe on Monday, could I ask you two to try my hand at making pudding? Sort of as a test run, you know?"

"I'd be happy to help~ I'm sure you'll do well."

Well, glad to know Compa's on board.

IF sets her coffee down and gives me a knowing smile. "Eh… I guess I'll help out. You wouldn't want your reputation to take a dive and suddenly have to close, all because Nep thought your pudding was bad, right?"

"Yeah, where else are you going to get your evening caffeine fix?"

"Well, there's the convenience store three blocks down…"

I give my best deadpan delivery. "The betrayal, I can hardly express how much my heart has been shattered. I'm so easily replaced."

She snorts, rolls her eyes, and then resumes her coffee drinking with Compa's giggling in the background.

For the rest of the evening, we make some general small talk, talking about happenings in the city, up and coming events and new music stars. As time goes by, several customers leave, most of them giving me a wave and a "Seeya tomorrow, Elliot!" as they head out the door.

And of course, soon enough, it's closing time.

"Here."

"Eh?"

"Oh, I couldn't—!"

IF is taken aback by the sudden offering of a box of pastries, while Compa tries her best to say no. However, I push the boxes closer to them.

"Take them, it's not like they weren't going to get thrown out anyways. Come on, I have to lock up, too, so I'd rather not have to argue about it. Besides, I usually hand these off to whoever's around at closing time anyways."

IF takes out her card again. I shake my head and then mumble something about having to make sure everything is rinsed and they can head out whenever. Honestly, sometimes I really do just like handing out a gift. I've done it to other customers before, just for whoever was around at the end of the day, as I told them. It's nothing special for them. It's just that I don't usually have people right at the close.

When I come back out, I see IF and Compa having headed for the door, boxes in hand. Compa looks a bit happy, but also unsure, while IF just is nudging her along. She'll probably explain everything for me or at least assuage Compa's hesitation to take the treats.

I head up to the door just after they leave, locking it behind them. When I go back to the counter, I see IF forgot to throw her napkin out.

"Sheesh…" I grab it, but it feels like it's got more resistance than a normal napkin to folding. I take a look inside and find a small wad of money and some writing on that says _'i know what you tried to pull there'_.

My attention is brought elsewhere by the sound of someone tapping on glass. I turn over to the source of the sound and find IF giving a small wave and a very, very knowing smile as she leaves, clearly called for by Compa.

Geez… can't a guy just be nice? Honestly though…

I guess IF and I really don't like feel indebted to someone, haha. Well, whatever. I suppose tomorrow's still going to come. Better get everything washed and then head to bed.

After all… I've got a lot ahead of me, considering a new recipe is going to be in the works.

* * *

 **Well, here's my first foray into Neptunia fanfiction.**

 **I was going to try a Producing Perfection one with four producers (called "Producing Madness"), mainly just for fun, but I feel this story will be a nice exercise. I've been a fan of the Neptunia franchise for a while now as I said before, but I've always admittedly been scared to write a story for it out of sheer fear of "fucking something up tremendously".**

 **So, rather than do intricate and special storylines, I wanted to do something more down to earth and simple. Man runs coffee shop, interacts with a few characters, with IF being a focus. I dunno, I just imagined her having late night coffee and chatting up someone, good image in my head, and then also I definitely wasn't watching Is The Order a Rabbit when this story came to mind. Nope.**

 **I wanted to start small scale, just a short chapter that gets the ball rolling. Let me know if there's anything I massively goofed up or need to improve.**

 **Also just uh, just ignore the _other three running projects I have those aren't important..._**

 **Anyways, I guess see you guys next chapter. If there is a next chapter. I dunno, we'll see if anyone's interested in it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**And we're back! I'm surprised I got this out as fast as I did, but I mean, this is one of the easier stories to write. Ish. Also we're at that stage where my mind is just playing with ideas, and also I mean, train ride is nice for writing time. Don't expect an update every two weeks though, this is strangely uh, quick for me, to be honest.**

 **Going to do a general review reply rather than hit everyone individually like I usually do, just sort of test out how it goes. Regardless, I'm very glad you guys have enjoyed it so far. I see a few of you don't generally read slice of life, but I'm glad that I've been able to sort of cater as a bit of a "break" to the usual high action shenanigans in the archive. I am also kind of amused that some people have suggested that Elliot and IF should be together, but like, I'mma address that here.**

 **One thing I'm very concerned about with this story is that** _ **if**_ **I include romantic elements in it, it's going to act like a tumor on the story; that is to say, it will just keep growing to be a larger and larger part of the story up until the romance elements completely consume it and the slice of life, day to day relaxation sections are lost. So for any concerned that it's going to be a harem or anything like that, be aware that I really am wary of doing romance in this story at all.**

 **And if I** _ **do**_ **romance here, I will say right now the most it will ever be is a love triangle (blame Macross), if only to keep it interesting and not like, super easily predictable or something, I dunno. I've written harem schtick in the past, I've gotten it out of my system by now, etc. Also it's a pain in the ass to resolve. The more you add to the harem the worse it gets. Sooooo much better just to keep your love interests small and whatnot. Besides, it might be more fun to just write some legitimate friendships without the worry of romance.**

 **Anyways, here's another chapter. I hope this one's enjoyable, too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2:** Rainy Days

* * *

"S-sorry!"

"No, my bad—"

My hand pulls back from the last can of condensed milk that happens to be on sale, or more like the last can of condensed milk on the shelf _period_. Directly in front of me is a young girl, maybe high school age, maybe first year college student. She's got purple hair with a white hair decoration and is wearing a raincoat that matches her hair, covering the rest of her clothes outside of her white and purple rainboots. I guess she might be a fan of our CPU.

"Please, go ahead and take it." she says, but I shake my head.

"No, you were reaching for it first. You take it."

"I really don't need it, though!"

"Well, it just so happens I don't really need it either. Besides, I'm not really in a hurry. I'll just hit the Saul-Mart on the south side of town, it's only a short bus ride away. Or a quick sprint."

"But it's going to rain soon, are you sure…?" she asks, holding her hand over her chest as she gives me a very concerned look.

"Eh, it's fine. I have an umbrella in my backpack, anyways." I say, gesturing to my drawstring pack on my back.

Granted, that's a total lie.

She gives me a look that asks if I'm telling the truth, because as usual, I'm a terrible liar. Why do I even try, honestly?

"Ah, geez."

I take the last can of condensed milk and put it in her basket.

"You were giving it to me. So I gave it to you, since I can do what I want with it, right?"

She still looks upset.

"Alright." She looks up at me, probably thinking I'm going to take it back. "Come on, wipe that sad look off your face. It's no good that way. Using that milk can always wait until next week, plus like I said, the store down south should have some. My fault for oversleeping, anyways. Plus, you've got a lot more in your basket. I'm light on my feet, so I can make it."

She takes a glance at both of our baskets. She's got hers filled to the brim, maybe she should consider a cart. Meanwhile, I've got what, a jar of peanut butter, a few bags of black tea, and some fruit gummies? Most of the things I buy in bulk I have shipped to the store, so really picking up extra supplies is for the small stuff.

"Still, you're a good kid." As I walk by, I give her a thumbs up. "Stay dry later today."

"U-um—!"

I only wave her off, walking towards the cash registers. If I listen to her, we'll get caught up in arguing over who gets the last can. And she'll definitely be able to suss out that I'm lying about the umbrella.

Additionally, since I'm in a hurry, I go to the self service express lanes, even if it's for eight or less items. I happen to have nine, due to the buy two, get one free on the fruit gummies. Please forgive me, Lady Neptune, for I have sinned.

"Ah geez…" I mutter, stepping out of the store. The sky wasn't that dark when I came in here. Well, I guess I dug my own grave. Time to go sleep in it.

I tuck my purchases into my drawstring bag and make a break for it. Of course, I end up missing the bus by about thirty seconds due to jogging rather than sprinting the last leg of the block.

I guess I could always just buy an umbrella if I really need to, but at the same time, hopefully the rain won't be too bad. Uh, probably should've checked the forecast, thinking about it, but I wasn't planning to make this trip.

At a solid jog-walk, it takes me about fifteenish minutes to cross into the south side of town. Well, south _half_ I guess, not really the area people here call the 'South Side'. I'm really only dipping into the parts closest to me, since I usually only go here if I'm hitting the next closest Saul-Mart.

"Condensed milk, condensed milk, condensed milk…" I mutter to myself as I go down the aisle, scanning up and down the shelves. This place has it differently organized, so I don't have it committed to memory where to go just yet.

Come on, where are you…

Ah! There we go—

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see your hand." A familiar voice says as my hand nearly touches someone else's who was reaching for the same area on the shelf.

"IF?"

"Elliot?"

I give a small smile as I reach again for the condensed milk, deciding to grab four cans this time. "I didn't know you shop here."

"Ah, well, they were having a sale and I needed to restock, anyways." she says as I look into her basket while she grabs evaporated milk. Nothing major, just a few juices and also some canned foods. "Why are you here? Your shop's up north, right?"

"They were out of condensed milk, so I had to come here. Er, well, I guess I didn't need to, but I gave the last can to a girl who was doing some shopping."

IF gives a small snicker at that.

"Hey, excuse you. I'm not that kind of guy. I'm not suckered in just by a pretty face."

"I didn't say anything." She says, nudging me as I put the cans of condensed milk into my basket.

I roll my eyes, but I can't help but smile from the teasing. "I'm a gentleman, sue me."

"Still on that whole pudding quest though, aren't you?"

I turn my head to look at her, trying to gauge what's on her mind. But IF's hard to get a good read on. Probably due to all that spy stuff she may or may not do. She does seem kind of upset, though.

"Is there something wrong with it…?"

"Not really."

"You really make it sound like there's something wrong with it, though." I say as she stops by the cracker aisle, grabbing two cans of Bingles. I'm tempted to get some as they're buy one get half off the next.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with you wanting to make pudding, Elliot."

"All I'm saying is the way you're acting, it's like you don't want me to make it. I mean, come on, is it really that bad? I have insurance for if they break anything. But I doubt anything'll really get destroyed."

IF mumbles something, looking away as she says it.

"IF?"

"It's not really about um, if they break anything. Besides, if they do I'm pretty sure they'll pay for it twice over."

"Then what's all the big fuss about, then?"

IF sighs, as if picking her words carefully while she looks through the yogurts on sale.

"Well, Nep's kind of a handful to deal with, is all. Out of all four of the CPUs, she's the most unpredictable. You might get a headache trying to keep up."

"What, is she going to taste my pudding, and then if it's good, demand the rest of it?"

"Honestly, she just might. I hope you're prepared for when she likes it."

I pause, raising an eyebrow. "When?"

"I have faith in your cooking skills. If Compa likes what you make at your shop, then it can't be that bad, right?"

"It is a new recipe, though…"

IF reaches up and pats me on the shoulder. "You'll be fine, Elliot."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. You don't mind if I have you taste test it, right?"

"Only if you eat it first." She says, a knowing smile on her face.

"I guess I better remember which one I poison, then."

IF rolls her eyes at this, though we're interrupted by the lights in the store flickering before a loud crash of thunder cracks overhead.

"Oh, geez. It better not have already started." I mutter, though I'm pretty sure the rain is coming down.

IF puts a hand on her hip. "You don't have an umbrella?"

I avoid eye contact, suddenly finding the price of honey to be very, very interesting. "Ehhhh… I wasn't planning on coming here…"

"But then you gave up your condensed milk." She fires back in a very matter-of-fact tone. "Let me guess, you told her you had an umbrella but didn't actually have one, then ran away before she could question you?"

"It's scary how you know that."

"This is where you're supposed to say 'No', Elliot."

"I'm a terrible liar, so I figured I wouldn't even try, especially around you."

IF chuckles at this, gesturing for us to get going to the counters, which already have people lining up to get out of here as fast as possible. I guess it's better to have your groceries ready to go rather than not getting anything because the registers were all out because of the storm. Unless you've got milk or ice cream, in which case, tough luck.

It is going a bit slowly though, since the registers have to reboot due to the lights going out for a second before.

"Just pool your stuff with mine, Elliot."

"I can't do that, IF."

"Just don't be stubborn, okay? It's three cans of condensed milk. More importantly—"

I follow her pointed finger over to where there's a small stand of umbrellas. Oh, perfect!

After putting my cans into her basket, I walk over and grab one. Quite fortunate too, as by the time I get back to IF, several others get the idea to do so as well, leaving no umbrellas left.

"Thanks for the save. I can take my cans back now, since I'm currently all plastic."

"No, I'll pay for them. It'll help speed the line up if you don't have cash."

"Remind me to make your next cup of coffee on the house, or maybe next two."

After about forty minutes, which when accounting for the two power outages, is not really all that bad, we finally make it through the check out.

"Thanks for buying it for me."

"It was just to help speed the line up. Besides, they were on sale, so I didn't pay out too much for you. I think that's maybe what, one drink at your place?" IF says, handing me the plastic bag that has my condensed milk cans in it. "Good thing you have an umbrella now, too."

"Thanks for the assist there, to—"

I'm interrupted by the howling of the wind and a cry of surprise.

I see that outside the store, there's an umbrella flying off into the wind. Outside is a mother with two kids, who immediately huddle close to her, trying to use their small umbrellas to cover her. I wordlessly hand IF my plastic bag and head out there, opening my newly bought umbrella.

"Ma'am!" I call out as another gust of wind blows, though my umbrella is angled to prevent it from flying off. However, I hear an umbrella invert. I leap forward, and with my free hand reach down and snatch the superhero print umbrella from her son by the loop at the handle before it can blow off, having guessed which one it was.

I guide them over to the cover of the building, as there's a small covered walkway right in front of the grocery store entrance. First, I close my umbrella. I then help the son by putting his umbrella back to normal and then wrap the band around his wrist.

"Alright champ, it won't blow off now." I say, giving him a pat on the shoulder while helping the daughter do the same.

"T… thank you." The woman says. She's got a raincoat on, but her brown hair that's about shoulder length is still soaked to the bone due to the moments she spent without an umbrella.

"Here." I say, offering my umbrella to her. She stammers, trying to say no, but I simply twirl it in my hands and offer her the handle. "You need it more than I do. Come on."

"But you'll get drenched in this rain." She weakly argues back. "What if you get sick?"

"Eh, what's one day off for me? Moms don't get a day off, right?" I say, with my signature customer service smile, weakening her resolve.

After a few more seconds of consideration, she relents, taking the umbrella. I kneel down and face the two kids.

"Alright, you two, make sure your mom gets home nice and dry, okay?" I put my hands up for a high five from each one. "You got that, right, champ?"

The boy, who got his mom's hair, nods with a big grin as he gives me a high five. "Yeah!"

The girl, likely having her dad's blonde hair, doesn't give me a high five but rather a thumbs up as she says, "You got it, dude."

Her mom gives her a bit of an admonishing for that one, saying not to follow her uncle's example, but she still seems happy. I then change my hands to thumbs up before walking away, back to IF.

"You really are a bleeding heart, aren't you?" She asks as they walk back out into the rain. "...But still, I'm glad that you did that."

"You sound like my dad."

She raises an eyebrow at me as I shake my head, sending water everywhere.

"Well, he'd probably say the same thing, except he'd pat me on the back while saying it was the right thing to do. What are you waiting around here for, though?"

"You gave me your groceries, I can't really just take them."

"Oh right, let me get those back."

IF quietly hands my plastic bag back over as I continue to look through the window, seeing the rain come down. Though…

"Why aren't you heading out?"

"I know what you're going to do the instant I leave. You're going to run out there and try to get back home, but then end up being sick from all the rain."

"Scary."

"This is where you say 'No I will not', Elliot."

"But that'd be lying, and once again, we both know I'm a terrible liar."

She rolls her eyes, putting her left hand on her hip. "Besides, my umbrella is wearing kind of thin. This level of rain might actually ruin it, and I don't want to get soaked. I'll wait it out, too."

"You just forgot your umb—" I stop as IF takes it out of her bag and points it in my face. I hold my hands out in a surrender position, noticing that yes, the umbrella is rather worn thin. "Okay, you win."

IF just laughs as I look around, finding others also waiting near the entrance. It is coming down pretty hard, even now. At least we're not the only ones left here.

"Maybe we should call a cab." I say, taking out my phone. I see IF take out her phone and scroll for a bit.

"Can't. Roads are minorly flooded. It probably can't get here, plus you'll be in traffic for hours. At least out here, you'll be somewhere where you can walk around rather than running the meter on a cab."

"Well, that sucks. Guess we are just waiting it out, then. Might as well sit down, right?"

"Mhm."

The two of us go join in with the other shoppers who are also just waiting out the storm. A few of them have kids and one has a small child who cries really loudly every time the thunder cracks overhead.

IF and I just quietly use our phones, waiting to see if there's an opening in the rain. However, it just keeps coming down. Outside we can hear some horns honking, and sometimes one of the people waiting her heads out, ducking into a car.

"Oh, I'm stupid…" IF mutters, apparently having dialed someone as she lifts the phone up to her ear. "Hey, it's me. Yeah, I'm at the Saul-Mart south of the u—huh? Yeah…? Oh. _Oh_. Yeah, can you um, bring two umbrellas down? Thanks. See you in a bit, sorry to make you walk through this rain."

"Who was that?" I ask as IF puts her phone away.

"A friend of mine."

"Must be a good friend, if they're willing to brave this storm for you."

IF chuckles at this. "You could say we're pretty close. We do have to deal with her sister on a pretty frequent basis, and she's a real handful."

"I see."

We continue to sit around, passing the time with some more small talk. We mostly end up talking about our plans that we had yesterday along what we would've been doing had we not been cooped up here.

The rain on occasion seems to go away, but always returns about a minute later, in fuller force. Guess there's no two shakes about it, gonna have to brave this sucker sooner or later.

"Though, speaking of friends, you didn't have any you could call on?" IF asks after a few more minutes. "I thought you would, to be honest."

"I have friends, but they couldn't make it over for this. They live outside Planeptune, so it's kind of hard. The one or two that I could call on, I wouldn't want to make them wade through this."

"I see…"

IF's phone buzzes, or at least I think it's her phone, as she takes it out and smiles.

"Ah, she's here."

"Your friend?" I ask, getting up onto my feet and giving IF a hand.

She takes it, nodding as I pull her up. "Yeah, she's right outsi—ah, there you are!"

I don't believe it. It's the same girl that I left at the Saul-Mart up north earlier today. IF goes up to greet her, the two of them having a conversation as I simply try not to bring attention to myself. However, the new girl points to me, with IF nodding and then leaning into new girl's ear to say something. New girl looks confused, but nods.

"Hey, Elliot, come over here." IF says. I walk over and give a sheepish smile as the purple haired girl from before pouts at me.

"Lying is no good, mister!" she says very sternly. Or at least, as stern as this girl can really be, she gives off the feeling of being unable to hurt a fly.

"Sorry…" I mumble, looking away and scratching the back of my head.

"Yeah, Elliot's kind of just like that." IF says, a knowing grin on her face. "Anyways, the umbrellas?"

"Oh, here!" The girl holds them out to IF, who takes one. "Though I have to say, IF, I thought you would have brought yours."

"I wasn't expecting it to be this bad." IF replies, taking out her ratty old dark grey umbrella that I saw earlier. "I wouldn't trust this one with that kind of rain."

"Oh, I see."

IF readjusts her hold on her bags as she talks. "Anyways, can you make sure Elliot gets home safely?"

"You know, shouldn't you be asking me that?" I interrupt, feeling a small blow to my manly pride.

"It's more like I'm asking her to make sure you don't end up giving your umbrella away, or at least having a back up if you do. I'd go myself, but I have to drop by Falcom's place and I'm pretty late. Oh right, you two should introduce yourselves. I have to get going."

"Take care, IF." I say, giving her a wave as she leaves.

"I should say the same to you." she replies with a chuckle, opening her umbrella as she heads outside.

I slowly turn back to the purple haired girl, who now looks kind of annoyed with me.

"I'm sorry about running off earlier."

"You really shouldn't lie, mister! You could've gotten sick if the rain didn't let up and you had to run!" She says to me, all concerned-like. Such a good kid, really.

"Again, sorry… it's just kind of, well, I was raised that way. Be a gentlemen, that sort of thing."

"Mhm…"

Now that her irritation has subsided, she goes back to being rather reserved.

"Oh! I should introduce myself!" She says, a bright smile on her face. "I'm Nepgear!"

Nep… ge—

 _Oh._

Sister. That IF deals with. _It all makes sense now._

I immediately avert my eyes, hanging my head down. This is right, right? I don't have to grovel or kneel or anything like that, right? They're known for being really nice, so—

"I-I'm sorry to make you come all the way for me—!"

"P-please don't bow your head, mister! H-here!"

I bring my head up, where she presents me with what looks like a brand new umbrella.

"T… thanks."

"You don't have to be formal around me." She says as I gingerly take it from her. "Just treat me like anyone else, okay?"

"I'll try."

Oh man, I'm in such hot water. I was lying to the sister of the goddess here earlier, geez…

"Oh, before I forget, my name is Elliot, but I think you already got that."

"Mhm. Nice to meet you, mister Elliot."

"Likewise."

"Then, let's go."

I nod, following after her and opening the umbrella as we step outside. Unfortunately, I'm not wearing rainboots, so I can feel the water soaking through my sneakers and right through my socks as we walk through the streets. Not a fun feeling. It's also making my jeans feel about five times as heavy.

And we have a solid, maybe thirty, forty minutes of this.

"So you know IF, mister Elliot?"

"Er, just Elliot will do… um, I can call you Nepgear, right?"

"Mhm!" She says, turning her head around and giving a slightly comforting smile to me. "I don't need a special title. Besides, being called Purple Sister or Lady Nepgear is kind of embarrassing sometimes."

"I see… then, miss Nepgea—"

"You can drop the 'miss', too."

"Okay, but only if you drop the 'mister' for me."

Nepgear nods before speaking again. "You know IF, Elliot?"

"IF is a regular at my store, so we're friends." I say as we come to an intersection, having to wait for the crosswalk sign to turn to 'walk'. "But outside of my shop, we don't talk a lot."

"What kind of shop is it?"

"It's a coffee store, though I also sell pastries. Light's on walk, by the way."

"Oh, thank you." With that, she leads the way across the intersection. "What were you getting the condensed milk earlier, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Well… it's kind of embarrassing to say."

"You don't have to say it if you don't want to."

Unfortunately for my secret, I feel an obligation to tell the truth, if only to make myself feel better about deceiving her earlier.

"Er, no, it's fine. I was… actually going to try making a new pudding recipe. I normally just keep store bought pudding in case there's a day that Lady Neptune shows up. The chances are quite low, but well, when I found out IF knows her… I wanted to have something nice for her, since the chances of her showing up are kind of high if IF is there and they seem to be friends."

"I see… hehehe."

My heart immediately begins racing as I hear her giggle. "D-did I say something wrong? Please forgive me, Pur—"

"No, it's just that I'm actually really happy to hear that. It means the people living here, or at least you, like having her around."

"Well, I read the news. She seems like a great barrel of fun, though IF says she's kind of a headache."

"Sometimes she does do that to people, but she's the best sister I could ask for."

I see her smile to herself. She must really like Lady Neptune, er, well, I suppose they are sisters, but still, it goes far beyond just familial obligation. The smile Nepgear has… it's the kind of smile my parents always have when they think about each other. Used to hate seeing it as a kid because it meant they were going to be all lovey-dovey, but today it's nice seeing it on someone else's face.

Even if I'm going to have to buy a new pair of shoes as the price of seeing it. Seriously, this rain is hell on these sneakers.

We continue walking on, all the way back to the northern side of town. On occasion, she moves to shield me from when a car hits a puddle and sprays water everywhere, as her raincoat can take the water far better than my clothes can.

"Thanks." I mumble, looking away. My pride is a tiny bit hurt, though.

"It's okay. Let's keep going."

It continues on like this for a while, though we do make occasional small talk when we have to wait at the intersections. Both of us are pretty focused on not getting blown away or getting soaked, so having a conversation while walking and tilting the umbrella as not to get a downpour on you is kind of hard.

"Oh!"

"What is it?" I ask as she suddenly stops, turning towards me.

"I was walking as if I was going back to the Basilicom. Do you live near there?"

"Not too close, but I would head down this street." I say, pointing to the right.

"Oh. I'll go with you, then."

"It'll be fine. It's not too much further to go, anyways. Even if I give the umbrella away, it'll be a two minute run at most."

I see Nepgear looking at me with a pouting look on her face. I sigh, smile, and then laugh.

"Alright, if you really want to, just tell IF that I ran off when you weren't looking. It really isn't that much further."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm actually a really terrible liar, so I promise you, on the pudding I am trying to make for your sister, that I'm not lying."

She looks deep into my eyes, as if trying to find some sort of hint of deception, but there's nothing there. It really isn't too much further to go.

"Okay." She says, leaning back and giving me a small smile. "I'll trust you."

"Thanks. Ah, hold on."

I fish around my pocket, eventually pulling out my wallet as I angle the umbrella to prevent the contents from getting soaked. I take out a single business card and hand it to Nepgear, who takes it.

"It has the address, so you should be able to come get the umbrella later. I work the whole day, so it's kind of hard to find time to get to the Basilicom to return this…"

"You don't have to return the umbrella, though."

"Ah… sorry, er, well, ah… haha, I'm tripping over myself. I guess I'm still a bit starstruck. But still, if you would like the umbrella back, that's where you can find me, though I guess you could also ask IF to show you as well."

"Mhm. Well, please have a safe trip home, Elliot."

"You too, Nepgear. Thanks for helping IF and I out."

I give her a small wave as I turn away, walking down the street. What a good kid, honestly—not like that isn't expected due to their reputations. But sheesh, this is just too much. First finding out IF knows Lady Neptune, but then that she also can call Lady Nepgear to ask for an umbrella? Sheesh, IF really knows a lot of powerful people. I wonder if she's ever fought alongside them?

Well, I suppose if she wants to talk about it, she'll talk about it then. No use prodding.

As I told her though, my shop isn't too much further. The lights that normally would illuminate the words _Lapin House - Coffee and Pastries_ hanging on the sign above are off as I'm not open today.

Fumbling around with the keys, I eventually get the shop door open and step inside, closing the umbrella behind me and giving it a small shake. The door eventually comes to a close behind me and I lock the door before flipping the light switch on.

Alright, it only took me a lot longer than I thought, but I have my extra groceries for the week. I guess that means I'm not trying out this new pudding recipe though, I'm way too exhausted for that. I'll probably just put this away and then go take a nice nap. After all, it's going to be Monday again, so time to get to work.

Still though, IF could've told me! I'm definitely going to ask her about that next time she shows up, I didn't need a bombshell on me dropped like that! Then again I should've recognized Lady Nepgear, the raincoat totally threw me off, though.

Also, I need to change out of these socks and shoes. Need to get upstairs…

I beat myself (mentally) as I climb up the stairs up to my room after taking off my shoes and socks. Yeah, just spill right there that you're making pudding for Lady Neptune. I totally caved because I was so starstruck at meeting her sister and also having lied about the umbrella earlier totally threw me for a loop. Uggggh, I wish I could've redone that, but then she might have picked up on my secret and then I'd end up spilling it anyways.

Man, I really was in a lose-lose situation there. Ahhhh, geez. But still, if she does come… it might be nice. I'd definitely tell my mentor that it happened. Either way, I guess I'm on the clock, now. Wouldn't want Lady Neptune to show up when I'm still working on perfecting that pudding now, would I...

* * *

 **Wew, so I wrote this in like, two main sessions. I was a little wary about having Nepgear show up, but figured it might be a fun hook that would explain Neptune potentially showing up if she did, plus some added pressure on Elliot. This is I guess what you could call the "Neptune's Pudding Arc", where yes, the story so far is just slice of life with the added "plot" in the background being Elliot just working on making pudding for Neptune in case she shows up.**

 **I tried to write their dialogue as sort of acquaintances, but a little bit more open because they have a mutual friend with IF. IF and Elliot's dialogue is always really easy to write though, since it's almost like writing a small comedy routine where they sass each other. Trying to make Nepgear that right mix of both assertive (as she can be) but still very nice was a little difficult.**

 **Anyways, like I said before, I'm trying to avoid romance at the moment. Besides, it might be more fun just to write everything as actual friendship. But this means I am trusting you guys to catch me if you ever feel like it's drifting too much outside of that. It'll be a fun exercise, I suppose. If it ever feels like it's straying too much, I want you guys to tell me and be 100% honest about it. It's going to be a challenge, so let's work together to get it done.**

 **This story actually is kind of strange to me as well. I don't really write that many strictly fluffy and relaxed stories; I generally just do a relaxed chapter in the middle of the action, so uh, yeah, I find it amusing that I've been able to kind of just write this. It is actually _super_ relaxing, to be honest. You kind of just have to imagine what a "fun" day would be like and write it.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it was rather short and sweet, but that's how I'm trying to keep these. See you guys whenever I decide to write another one, I guess, haha.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Oops that took me a little longer than I thought it would. Real life caught up to me and the overall plotline I wanted ended up shuffling around, so I had to spend a bit of time really thinking about how I wanted to move this story forward.**

 **There's a serious debate going on in my head right now about whether or not romance gets included (with who, I won't say), because part of me wants to avoid it becoming a plot tumor, but yet part of me wants to** _ **try**_ **and attempt that challenge, where I write it as a subplot and it** _ **stays**_ **that way without ever having too much focus.**

 **I'm tempted to say I'll leave it to you guys lol I'm kind of fine either way, it's just been something I've really had to think about in terms of planning. Anyways, thanks for sticking with me, and I apologize for the delay in getting this out.**

 **Here we go!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3** : Dancing Days

* * *

"Hey, Jeffrey!" I call out as I see Compa walk in the door, signalling to the college aged looking boy who's bringing back an empty tray from the table he just served. His black haired head, combed as neatly as ever, immediately perks up, green eyes brimming with energy despite it being about seven forty three in the morning. Just like me, he's dressed in the coffee shop's uniform.

"What do you need, boss?" He asks, quickly coming over.

"Man the counter, catering's arrived."

"You got it." He says back, vaulting over the small gate that separates the back area of the counter. I roll my eyes as I simply open it and then let it swing shut behind me, hearing his chipper voice of "Good morning ma'am, what can I get you this morning?" greet the next customer.

"Good morning!" Compa says with a smile as I wave to her.

I return the greeting and then gesture off to the pile of boxes, which contain all the pastries that I was supposed to make for her event alongside the several cartons of coffee.

"Wooooow!"

Compa seems pleased by how the brand name and logo is on them as well. It took a while to actually get the order in, so I'm glad that they came in on time. Getting the design from the sign outside to an actually nice digital form was a pain, too. The boxes all have the logo and name of the shop, so they'll definitely know where these sweets came from.

"I'll help you carry them out to your car."

"Oh, that would be really nice, thank you."

I flash my trained signature customer service smile. "It's the least I could do."

With a bit of a grunt, I lift the stack of eight white cardboard boxes with the clear plastic on top. Compa opens the door for me and I step outside.

"Oh, hey."

"You drive a motorcycle?" I ask to a familiar face who's leaning against a green motorcycle. Holy sweet fish… It's even got a sidecar, too.

"I could swear I've brought it up before." IF says back, tilting her head as if to give it some thought.

"Well, if you did, I forgot. You usually just walk here."

"Ah, that. Well, usually I just walk to work. Today's an exception since I'm helping Compa with her order. Also, you can stop staring at my bike any time, Elliot."

"Right. Sorry, it's just like— _you drive a bike_? That's so cool—er, um, good morning, as well." I say, pausing for a second to regain my composure as I put the boxes in the sidecar. "I'm just going to uh, I'll go get the coffee cartons."

"Yep. I'll strap these boxes down. Compa, go help him out, okay? And also Elliot, I'll have the usual. You still owe me for that milk, after all."

I can't help chuckle as I step back towards the door. "No wonder you refused to cash that in for so long. It's been what, three weeks since then?"

"Something like that. Time really flies, doesn't it?"

"That it does. I'll be right out with your usual."

She just gives me a knowing smile back as Compa and I go back into the cafe. But geez, I mean, I guess IF would be the type for a motorcycle, but it's still really cool that she can drive one. I've always meant to take lessons back during my school years, but I never got around to it. Maybe I should ask where she took lessons, later.

"You and IF are really good friends, aren't you?" Compa asks, bringing me out of my thoughts as we head back inside and get to the rest of her order.

"Well, I suppose we're friends." I say as I lift two of the cartons alongside Compa.

"Awww, I don't think you give yourself enough credit."

The smile she flashes me can only be described as "motherly". But I don't think she's married or is actually even seeing anyone, which is quite surprising. I would have thought someone like her would've found someone already. But I suppose she is a nurse, so maybe she got it from there.

"Hey, Compa."

"Hm?" she asks as we exit the door again.

"Do you work with kids a lot at your job?" I say as I put the coffee cartons down, making sure they won't slide around too much.

"Yes, actually! How did you know?"

"Just a hunch." I reply back, knowing that's a potential landmine question. "Alright, I believe that should be everything."

"Thank you so much, Elliot!"

"Well, we had a contract, haha. Let me know how your event goes. Ah, I'll be right back with your drink, IF."

"Eh, we're running a bit late." She says, checking her watch and remounting her motorcycle. "Sorry if you already started preparing it, but I don't think we'll make it on time if we wait any longer. Traffic down at Main and Sixth Street was a major pain, took forever to get through, so we're behind schedule."

"I'll have your coffee ready for you this evening then. And don't worry about it, I hadn't started preparing it."

She chuckles as Compa nervously gets on the back of the motorcycle, holding tightly onto IF.

"Try not to mess up the latte art this time." She says, going for that quick snipe as she revs the engine.

"Don't worry, I won't."

Compa giggles, clearly looking less nervous on the motorcycle. "Hehehe, it's like a husband telling his wife he'd like to have a certain dish for dinner when he gets home fro-aaaaah!"

Compa is cut off by IF pulling out of the loading-unloading zone in front of my store and onto the road. I give a wave, though obviously they aren't able to give one back.

With that, I retreat back into the shop, where the morning rush is getting that brief lull before it picks up again, usually when all the late-risers stumble in for their coffee. I slide back behind the counter, replacing Jeffrey as the cashier.

"Thanks for that." I say as Jeffrey moves out of the way.

"No problem, boss." He says, giving me a sharp, two fingered salute. "Was that woman outside the evening regular?"

"Yeah. I guess they don't usually pass by here, but I guess I'll ask her later tonight. So, how was your weekend?"

"Eh, same old, same old. Catching up on my assignments, haha." He gives a small laugh, stretching his arms. "Can't wait to be done with college, actually. One more year after this one."

"Well, good luck."

"Oh, uh, hey, I was meaning to ask you something."

I turn towards him, as it seems all customers who are sitting down don't have any issues, so I can take my attention away for a second. "What is it?"

"This Saturday, do you mind if I head out an hour early? There's a 5pb concert that I won tickets to with my girlfriend just yesterday, so…"

"Eh, it's fine, it's Saturday afternoon. Just ah, come in an hour earlier if you can, okay?"

"Oh, thanks boss! Will do!" He says, a sincere and relieved smile on his face.

I wave a hand as if to dismiss further discussion. "Don't mention it."

5pb, huh? I know she's fairly popular, but I never really kept up with recent pop artists. I blame my mentor who passed me this shop, as his music collection passed onto me, and his library was rather dated, so it's what I ended up listening to.

Additionally, I have been working on that pudding recipe for in case Lady Neptune shows up, so I wasn't really paying too much attention to the news. There's about fifteen or so different versions, with all of them just tweaking very slightly the amount of ingredients used. I hope IF can give me a step in the right direction.

The rest of the day goes by fairly quickly. After the initial morning breakfast rush, it always tends to slow down. Jeremy heads out as well, taking his bike to college. He really should get that thing checked out or maybe replaced. It's so beat up that all of the purple paint has already come off, so the bare metal of the BMX bike he has is completely visible.

The day isn't even exhausting in the least, which is how I'm able to work such kind of crazy hours. I also have a late opening, early close on Saturdays, along with an earlier closing on Fridays. I really should look into hiring some additional workers, though. I've always thought about expanding, but I really do like the personal feeling this shop has to it. Having a sister location… yeah.

I spent my downtime practicing latte art, really trying to get it down, as I have been doing for the past few weeks. I'm not good, but I think I'm improving. One day I'd like to surprise IF, so for now, I'll purposely mess up when she's there. After all, she is expecting it. It'll be kind of nice to just make a rabbit or something cute like that, when she isn't expecting it at all.

Soon enough, the evening is already here. I can see all the traffic on the streets now going in the opposite way, and windows stained with that sunset glow to them. The normal late afternoon early evening rush of people staying late comes, most of their orders being to-go. Plenty of businessmen and women in suits, and occasionally some younger folks, likely part of some hip and happening group that doesn't do the big brand stuff show up.

Then, as always, the nighttime crew comes around, in addition to some of the other evening regulars. It's always the same bunch, really. Maybe later parts of middle aged group, six of them, four guys, two girls, always come in here around this time, usually in suits. They usually leave about an hour before IF gets here, and I suspect (or more like am pretty sure) they're regulars back from the previous owner. I'm glad to know they've stuck around even with me in charge. They always cycle who pays, but their drink order is always the same: two lattes, one mocha, one cappuccino, one black tea, and one hot chocolate. Occasionally they'll order a pastry as well.

Seeing as there's no customers for me to attend to at the counter, I head over to the jukebox in the back corner and fiddle through the records. Let's see… I think tonight I'll pick _Andante in Purple_.

As soon as I pick it, the classical tune picks up, playing across the cafe. It does have the aesthetic to it, anyways, as this cafe has a much more old time and classical feel to it. I mean, if I wore something like a butler coat while serving people, I really wouldn't be too out of place in terms of theme. Though, I guess the old uniform of this place was already halfway there, haha.

I serve the customers who come in during the evening, most of them to-go, but a few sit down and just take in the atmosphere. This place certainly has a different feel to it in the evening.

My attention is drawn, during the evening, to the sound of a motorcycle coming to a stop outside. Huh, she's here about thirty minutes early.

"Haa…" IF says as she walks through the door, looking kind of exhausted. "Evening, Elliot."

"Ah, hey IF. You're earlier than usual. Please sit down, I'll have your usual ready in just a bit."

She takes a seat at the counter, nodding before slouching in her seat.

"Tough day today?"

"Lots of preparations to make, so yes. I have to head back after this." She says with a yawn.

"Something big coming up?"

"Yeah, stuff got moved up schedule-wise, so you know how it is, rushing to get everything done." she says as I prepare her usual evening latte. "Skipping the art this time, I see?"

"We both know it'll end poorly."

She laughs, taking the cup on the saucer as I slide it over to her. "I think you can improve, though. You just need to practice, is all."

"Well, maybe if I get some time, I'll try it out. So, anything I should know about this event?"

"Nothing, really. It's not really likely to affect you, anyways. Just be happy for that, at least. Though hey, since you did catering for Compa, could I order something like that as well?"

"Hm? Sure, what are you looking for?"

"It wasn't anything major, just you know, maybe four or so cartons of your coffee to bring along. We're drawing straws for who gets security detail, so if I end up drawing the short stick, I at least don't have to drink convenience store coffee."

"Haha, okay. That shouldn't be too much of an issue. I'll have your quote tomorrow, I guess."

"Thanks, Elliot. What's with the music, by the way?"

"Oh, old regulars from when my mentor owned this place. They always had it on when I was working under him, so I figured I'd keep the trend going."

"Ah. It's nice music. Didn't take you for a classical guy, though."

"Well, I'm not really a fan of classical, but it's all right. I actually prefer something like the blues, or anything generally jazzy. You?"

"I guess…" IF thinks to herself as she stirs her coffee. "...pop rock?"

I raise an eyebrow at her. "I didn't take you for that kind of music."

"It's good for working out, really." She says with a shrug.

"I suppose so. Must get the blood pumping."

"Yeah, it's good for that. Though, I wonder if it's any different listening to it live."

"You've never been to a concert?"

IF shakes her head 'no'. "I was trying to get tickets for the 5pb concert this weekend, but they were completely sold out. I didn't win tickets either."

"Oh, 5pb…? Ah, haha, well, sorry to disappoint, but my part-timer actually won those tickets yesterday. He asked me if he could leave an hour early to make it there."

She smiles, chuckling. "You're such a doormat, you know?"

"I prefer the time 'nice guy'. And I'm not a doormat, it's just… well, it's Saturday, and I won't be busy at that time. I don't mind him heading out early as we don't have events scheduled here. Besides, I mean, you know, best to just give a helping hand with his girlfriend."

"Eh?"

"Er," I scratch my cheek, trying to think about how I want to word this. "You know, like, it's just one hour. It's not like he asked for the whole day off or anything, and he's got a good work ethic. Figured I'd help him make her a bit happier."

"Ah, okay, okay. Though, I didn't exactly take you to be a romantic like that."

"Hahaha, well, I guess it's just me doing what I think is right. It's not like I've ever had a girlfriend or anything like that, so I can't really say if it will help him."

"You've never had a girlfriend?"

"Is that so surprising?" I ask, not sure how to feel about being asked that. "I suppose it's always just been me running the shop, really. Er, well, actually, thinking back on it..."

"Hm?"

I pause, wondering if I should keep going, as IF's interest seems to be piqued. "Well, it never really amounted to anything, so I guess I have _had_ a girlfriend. Let's just say we found it better to be friends."

"Oh." she replies, looking a bit guilty that she brought something like this up. "Sorry to bring it up."

"You don't need to frown like that." I say, poking her very lightly on the head. "Besides, we're still good friends. It's just like, really weird when you try to be something more after being friends for so many years, it's all awkward and everything. But outside of that one case, well, yeah, I never really had too close of a relationship with many others."

"Geez, you need to get out more often."

"But I head to the grocery store at least once a week and I also take Saturday evenings off to sometimes go somewhere."

IF rolls her eyes. "You know what I mean, Elliot. Seriously, go make some new friends or something. I don't know, join a gym or something."

"Not really my kind of thing, though. I'm fairly content with just having my fairly close friends that occasionally visit."

"Alright, alright. Just a suggestion."

"Haha, thanks, though. I appreciate the sentiment. Oh, but I almost forgot. Are you free this Saturday?" I ask as IF sips her coffee.

She pauses as she puts her cup down. "In the evening, right?"

"Yeah, maybe like, seven or so in the evening."

"I should be, why?"

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind dropping by and taste testing the pudding variants I had planned. I thought maybe you could help me get a better idea for Lady Neptune's palette."

"Hmmm, I mean, I am free."

"What, am I going to have to buy you tickets to a 5pb concert to get you to say 'yes'?"

"I'd jokingly say 'yes', but they're crazy expensive." She pauses again, as if considering what she wants to ask for. "Hmm, well, can I just get a favor in return?"

"Sure, name your favor."

"No, just... something in the future."

"Alright, I can agree to that. Though, if we're making deals…"

She chuckles, rolling her eyes. " _Yes_ , Elliot, I will take you on my motorcycle some day."

"Am I that obvious?"

"You're eyeing it from over here. And it'll be free, too, you don't need to exchange a favor for it or anything. By the way, can I get that last apple danish you have there?"

"Sure, coming right up."

IF hands me her card, which I process her payment with, before I give her the pastry on a small platter matching the one her coffee cup is on.

As if to be perfectly timed with that, I hear the group in the back get up, heading out for the door. Each of them gives me a nod as they exit, wishing me a good night. Once again, it's just IF and I in the shop.

"Ah, excuse me. Just call me if you need anything." I say, heading out from behind the counter. I first head to the jukebox and switch it off—

"Hey."

My head turns to check on IF, finding she's idly looking at her coffee cup. "Hm? You need something?"

"Just ah, put it on something you like. I'm just curious about the music you like, is all." IF says before quickly bringing her cup to her mouth to take another sip of coffee.

"No, um, thanks. I'll do that."

I flip through the tracks for a second before knowing which one to pick. Alright, there we go… _Lastation Delights_ , which leads off with blaring saxophone and the drums doing their call and response pattern right afterwards. I head back into the kitchen, grab my usual cleaning supplies, and head to the back table, ready to wipe it down.

As always, those guys tip pretty good. I suspect that it has to do with that this is an old hangout for them, but still. Knowing that I'm able to hold onto the clientele that my mentor got gives me a good feeling.

"And away we go," I say to myself, matching the rhythm of the song as I stack each plate higher and higher up, before I have the full stack in my hands. Walking in time with the music, I slip back into the kitchen and put it all in the sink, letting it soak in the water.

Afterwards, I grab one of the rags, dampen it, and saunter back out into the main area and head back to the table I just cleaned up, wiping it down all to the beat of the song. Alright, sparkling clean.

I'm broken out of my spell by some clapping. I turn my head and…

"Good show." IF says as I feel the heat immediately sear up on my face. I completely forgot she was here, since I usually do that alone. Ugh, her being early is really throwing me off. "You normally do that?"

"Yes…" I weakly admit, sighing in a defeated sort of way.

She laughs, but then eventually quiets down. "It's okay, I won't tell a soul. I can keep a secret, Elliot."

"Please keep this one, then." I mumble as I walk back into the kitchen, running the rag through water before squeezing it dry.

"I will, I will." I hear her say as I start rinsing the plates and putting them into the dishwasher, where they'll get cleaned overnight. "What song is this, by the way?"

"Oh, it's just an old tune called Lastation Delights. My mentor had it with him, so I kept it around."

"Lastation Delights, huh…"

"Something wrong with that title?" I ask, turning down the water flow a little bit so I can hear her better.

"It's nothing, just was curious about it. Seems like a fitting title, anyways."

"I see."

I quietly wrap up my dishwashing before walking back out to meet IF, who's about halfway finished with her apple danish.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks." I say, stretching my arms. "But um, really. Please don't tell anyone about that thing earlier…"

"My lips are sealed. You seem pretty good on your feet, though."

"Ehhh, not really. I can't dance at all."

"Really now?" She asks, eyebrow going up as if to question that further.

"I'm just really familiar with that song, is all. Besides all I was doing there was moving in time with the music. Doing things like a full out dance like you'd see on TV, that's completely out of my league."

"You never considered taking lessons?" She asks with a curious look on her face.

I shake my head. "I mean, it might be one of those fun things to learn, but I'm not really sure if I would ever use it."

IF smiles. "I don't know, Elliot. I hear women like a man who can dance."

"See, if that means ballroom dancing, sign me out. I don't want to have to wear a suit."

Her smiling turns into full out chuckling at this point and I can't help but smile as well.

"Is that what you're concerned about? Having to wear a suit?" She asks, giving me as best of an incredulous expression as she can while trying not to break out into a laugh.

"They're expensive, is all."

"Ah, I suppose that's true. You could just rent one, right?"

"I guess that's also true." I say, putting a finger to my chin. " _But_ I could also just not go to a ball and skip out on paying for the suit."

IF snickers. "And I bet you don't take girls out on dates unless you have a coupon."

"Oh, how did you know?" I say right back, clearly joking.

"It's no wonder you aren't more popular with the ladies."

Both of us glance at each other, smiling before breaking out into some soft laughter. We can't keep that kind of routine going forever, after all.

"Still though, I think you could be a good dancer. I could see you tap-dancing to something jazzy or even a ballroom dance to it. Maybe a vest and a hat on."

"That's an oddly specific image of me you have in your head." I say, unsure what to make of her comment.

"I'm just throwing ideas out there from old movies with jazz numbers in them." She says with a shrug. "It does fit the bar scene, I think."

"Ah, I see, I see."

"Speaking of a bar, it does seem like you have a bit of that aesthetic going on here. Complete with the jazz, too. If you had a live band in here, I don't know where you'd have them play, but just turn the lighting down a little more, and you really could have something like that."

"I guess that was my mentor's doing. The old uniform actually was kind of like that, too. Black slacks, white button shirt, and a black vest. He always wore a bow tie, I wore a normal one." I say, closing my eyes and remembering those older days. "When I took over the shop, I loosened up a little bit. Business casual, apron, good to go."

"Couldn't handle the suit?"

"It made me feel more important than I actually was, so yes, I couldn't handle it." I say, IF having a small laugh at that. ""I mean, the customer base hasn't changed too much, but I feel a lot more friendly this way. I suppose it has meant getting more daytime clientele rather than evening ones, too."

"Did you have to fix the lighting for that? If it used to match the bar feeling..."

"Huge mess, really. But I think it was worth it, making it less bar and more cafe. Having to work a little harder during the day is a small price to pay to have a little better of an atmosphere. Besides, it means that during the evening hours, I can relax a little more. Plus, well…"

"Well?" IF asks, pressing me to finish.

"Ahaha, it's a bit embarrassing to say…" I look away for a second, scratching the back of my head. "...but I suppose it was nice, making another friend, since I don't have to attend to so many people in the evenings."

IF gives me a soft smile, leaning in. "And who is this friend that you made?"

"Oh come on, that was already embarrassing enough to admit. Are we really going to play this game?"

She leans back, chuckling. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Think of it as payback for when you teased me about my scrambled eggs when Compa was here."

"Man, remind me never to be on your bad side, you can hold a serious grudge." I mumble as IF finishes her snack. "Can I take your plate?"

"Go ahead. Thanks for the meal."

"I can expect to see you this Saturday, right?"

"Yep. I'll see if Compa can come, too. She might have a better idea of Nep's palette compared to me." She says as she gets out of her chair and slips her coat on.

"Oh, that'd be wonderful."

"No promises, though."

"Yeah, I know. Anyways, I'll walk you out. I have to lock up, after all."

Just like I said, I walk IF out to the door, opening for her. The evening air is fairly crisp, not too humid, would be good for a walk if it wasn't so late at night.

"Have a safe trip home." I say as IF mounts her motorcycle. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yep. Make sure you practice your latte art, okay?"

I wave her off, leaning back on the door to head back inside. "Yeah, yeah, I will. Good night, IF."

"Night, Elliot."

I watch her pull out of the parking area and take off down the empty streets, the sound of her motorcycle tearing it up out there slowly fading into the distance. When I can't hear it anymore, I go back inside and lock the door up before going back to the kitchen to wash her last dish.

As I wash her plate and cup, I can't help but feel nervous at the fact I'm so close. It took three or so weeks, due to my schedule, to finally tweak enough pudding variants to try to get a good range. I can't just haphazardly put out a new product, not until I'm satisfied with it, and especially if it's for Lady Neptune.

I only hope the amount of time I've put into it, along with the weekends I've dedicated to crafting this recipe, will turn out for the best. And if Compa and IF are willing to help me, then… I'm sure that Lady Neptune will like it, if she were to ever come here. The chances of that are still quite low, I believe, but well… always best to be sure.

* * *

 **Wheeee.**

 **So yeah, short and sweet. I think it was nice to have IF and Elliot just talk about something basic along with passing the time (Compa noted in Chapter 1 her event wasn't for three weeks), along with introducing another small character role. I didn't give him too much focus as he was mainly there as just someone in the background, kind of average. He's just a college part-timer with a girlfriend, and serves as a bit of a vehicle to get Elliot on the subject of 5pb, and thus set the topic of the chapter as music.**

 **I also wanted to elaborate a bit on the past of the cafe, as I plan to have it potentially factor in, and hey, if my plans shift around and it doesn't, I can kind of just play it off.**

 **The last bit of the chapter felt a little bit too shippy, but I think I imagined it as IF and Elliot being a little more willing to go out there in terms of banter, what with that whole 'who is this friend' scene.**

 **Sorry if this wasn't everything you were expecting after my super long break lol, but like, hey, I got a life to live, haha. See you guys next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:** Pudding Panic

* * *

"No more…"

IF grumbles as she sets her spoon down, the sound of clinking glass coinciding with it. She slouches in her chair, leaning back with a sigh.

"It's not that bad, is it?" I ask as I offer her a cup of water.

"I can _feel_ all of the inches coming back to me."

"Oh come on, it'll be what, a few laps around the block?" I ask, IF giving me a nasty glare that I've grown somewhat accustomed to seeing when she's annoyed.

"I still don't get where it all goes for _you_."

"Well, I do run around the shop all day, plus lifting ingredient bags is rather heavy… though I suppose my lifestyle could definitely be more active. I'm rather lazy on the weekends."

"I'm going to drag you out for jogging, then. You could use it. Seven in the morning sound good for a run?"

"Oh, it just so happens that I don't have any clothes for exercise, though."

IF sits up and gives me a small smile. "Well, I guess you'll just have to factor it into your budget now, won't you?"

"Ah, well, I'm very close to being in the red this month, so I'm afraid I can't."

Our back and forth is interrupted by a person's giggling turning into full blown laughter from the side. IF and I turn our heads, finding Compa trying to stifle her laughter by covering her mouth with her hands.

"On the other hand, I don't know where Compa puts it all." IF says, changing the topic with a _slight_ twinge of jealousy in her voice. I simply decline to comment further on it and instead change the topic once more.

"Everything okay, Compa?"

She waves us off, trying to contain her laughter. IF and I glance at each other, shrug, and then look towards her again.

"It's just nice to listen to you two, it's almost like I'm watching a TV show." Compa explains as he keep looking towards her. "Or almost like a wife trying to get her husband to take her out shopping, but he keeps making excuses since he doesn't want to go."

"Compa, we aren—"

"I don't think it's quite like that." I say before IF finishes. Whoops. "It's more… like a student who doesn't want to have to do the first part of the project making up reasons why he can't help out and his partner has to pick up the slack."

"I'm glad to know that I'm the hard-working one, slacker." IF says, going right for the snipe.

"Absolutely no mercy from you, is there?"

"You said it, not me." She says as I just roll my eyes and step away from the counter.

"Anyways, Compa, do you have an opinion on which pudding recipe might be the best for Lady Neptune?"

Compa sits up and quickly stops laughing (or at least tries to, she still has this bigger than usual smile on her face), and then thinks hard about it.

"Well, I think number twelve, seven, and four are probably the best. Twelve is the sweetest that she likes, but seven has the better consistency to be the most like the pudding NepNep likes, and then four is kind of a mix of both."

"Hmm, that is a hard call. Part of me says to use four, since it will be middle of the road, but at the same time maybe I should just take a high point on one, a low point on the other, rather than be mediocre on both."

"Mhm, mhm."

Hmm, I'll have to pick this one carefully. On one hand, twelve will allow me to appeal the most to Lady Neptune, but it might not appeal to my other customers. Seven will give me the majority appeal, but I made everything in the event Lady Neptune showed up, so it feels off if I pick this one. Four lets me get both, but it might be too sweet for my customers, but then not sweet enough for Lady Neptune.

...I guess that was an easy choice.

"I'll take recipe twelve."

"Mhm, I'd agree, especially if you're making them for NepNep."

"Thank you for all the assistance, then. You too, IF. If there's anything I can get the two of you from the menu, I'd be happy to make a batch right now."

"Oh, no, no, that's fi—"

"Compa really means the blueberry scones. If it's not too much trouble for you, could I get cinnamon crumb muffins?"

"Ah, right away for the two of you."

I heard the two of them start doing some friendly bickering as I go to prepare the two recipes in the back. Compa's on the side that believes asking for something like that is far too much or at the very least, IF shouldn't be asking so casually. IF responds to it by saying that I was offering, and that if she didn't say anything, then I'd end up pestering them for something to do to pay it back.

Which I suppose isn't _completely_ wrong. It is a massive help. Plus, if Lady Neptune does come here and the pudding is a big success, then even moreso, I should pay them back.

Though, IF could be a little less direct in her criticism. It does make me feel a little bad.

"Um, Elliot, are you sure you don't need any help?"

"I'm fine, Compa. Oh, though if I can get you some coffee or juice, just let me know. We have just been eating pudding for a while, it might be nice to have something to go along with it." I call back from the kitchen.

"No, no, please don't bother."

"Alright. IF, can I get you a drink?"

"Eh, I'm fine. Thanks for offering."

"Well, if that changes, just let me know."

With that, I continue to set up the ingredients. I lose myself in the small _clank_ s and _clang_ s of the bowls and spoons, and in the measuring of ingredients. I know that after a while you get to the point where you can just approximate by eye, but when I really want to make a dish well, I can't help but go back to the precise measurements I know work best together.

Part of me is rather giddy with excitement, but I'm also a bit nervous. It would be kind of embarrassing to spend all this time and effort to make a dish for Lady Neptune, only for her to never hear about my shop. Ugh, I don't want to think about that. Thinking about it just gives me all sorts of bad butterflies in my stomach.

I try to distract myself with the rest of my preparations, such as preheating the oven, combining ingredients, and using the mixer to get a nice blend for the batter. There we go…

"Hey."

I look up as the mixer comes to a stop, finding IF in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Change your mind about a drink?"

"No, I just wanted to come in since Compa stepped out to go mail a package."

"Ah. Well, it will take a bit of time to bake everything, so that's understandable. Sorry for not having any seats in here, but well, it is the kitchen. Also you might just want to stay in the doorway, just as a health thing. I can probably just wipe it down later and do a thorough clean, but you know..."

"It's fine, I get it. I'm used to being on my feet, anyways."

"I'd imagine." I say as I reach for the muffin tins, then the nonstick wrappers.

"Oh, Compa said that she could suggest this place to Nepgear, if you wanted."

I put the tin down on the counter and give it a thought. On one hand, it would be nice to have another helping hand in getting Lady Neptune to try the recipe, but on the other hand…

"I'm surprised you're not jumping right at it, with all the work you put into it."

" _We_ put into it." I say,putting the wrappers into the tins.

"You were the one who did all the actual cooking, though."

"Details, details. I guess you could say that it… well, part of me says it doesn't feel right."

IF leans on the doorway as I start pouring the mix into the muffin tins. "Feel right?"

"Yeah. It almost feels like cheating, you know? Just like, purposely trying to contact people to suggest to Lady Neptune to come here rather than her just naturally finding out about this place."

"Mhm, I guess I understand. But you know it's fairly unlikely she'll come around naturally. It's a coffee shop, first and foremost. Nep's not exactly a big coffee drinker. She's got too much of a sweet tooth for that."

"I'm quite aware of Lady Neptune's penchant for sweets. But—" I finish pouring the mix and start sprinkling on the cinnamon crumb garnish. "—I guess you could say it would just make me feel bad."

IF laughs at this, but in a friendly ribbing sort of way. "Sentimental to a fault, aren't you?"

"Ahh, that's what my mentor told me as well. But I can't say that it's failed me so far. Maybe I'm also just a bit afraid of a higher standard. If a lot of Lady Neptune's friends suggest she goes here, especially with the pudding, then certainly I'll be held to a far higher standard. As much as I am for making and then surpassing the grade, to have the bar be set that high makes me nervous."

"Well, you don't have to be too worried about that. If it's too sweet for Compa, it's probably good enough for Nep." IF says as I pour out the mix for Compa's scones. "Besides, Compa liked your recipes, too. You can trust that if she likes it, Nep'll like it."

"Alright. That eases my nervousness slightly."

"Only slightly?"

"Ah, well, I suppose if it's your reassurance, it's more than just slightly. I'm putting a lot of trust in your vote of confidence."

IF gives me a thumbs up. "I'm glad that you do. Besides, I'm sure that the day Nep comes in, everything'll go well."

I give a deep sigh of relief. "Thank you again, for your confidence."

"Just don't ask for it too often. You should be able to take pride in your own achievements, you know?"

"I'm not a baby, IF."

"No one ever accused you of that."

"Walked right into that one. But I know that, it's just that… well, it's the same for any high end customers, really. It's only after everything's all said in done that you know if you did well."

"Mhm. Work's just like that in general, though."

"Yeah. I really just want to do this shop well. Especially because of everyone who worked to get it to this point."

"I've heard you say that a few times, but you never really expand on it beyond your mentor. Care to explain?"

I shrug as I open up the oven, preparing to slide in everyone's pastries. "Well, it's just that the shop wasn't originally _mine_. I wasn't the one who opened it up, it's just that it passed down to me."

"Oh."

"Ah, wait, wait. It's not that my parents died and I inherited the shop or anything like that!"

I hear what sounds like an exhale of relief from IF.

"Sheesh. I thought the atmosphere was going to get really heavy for a second there." She says, shooting me a bit of an annoyed look as I take the trays and start loading them into the oven. "Who'd you get the shop from, then?"

"The man who used to own it, obviously." I take a bit of pride in making IF roll her eyes at this comment as I put the trays in the oven. "He was retiring, I had worked at the shop for a while now through high school, decided just to go full time working here for him since I wasn't, ahaha, as you might say, the best of the bunch in my class."

"And so he just passed everything onto you?"

"Well, the goal was kind of just to work full time while I decided what exactly to do with my life. Over time, I ended up learning more and more from him. I helped tweak a few things, too. Like he was really stubborn about doing all of the expense reports on paper and everything, so I helped to get it to be on a computer. From there, I learned how he did everything, plus all the recipes, and whatnot."

I note IF's silence and turn my head towards her after closing the oven.

"Something wrong?"

"No, it's just… you have this smile on your face."

I reach up with my right hand and find that I have this tiny glimmer of a smile. Ah, I see. I suppose I would be rather nostalgic about all of this.

"I have a lot of fond memories of my mentor, is all. He's still alive in his retirement though, before you think the mood is going to get heavy again."

"Ah, okay. Though, I have to say it's a bit interesting."

"What is?" I ask as I set the timer on the oven.

"That he'd open up a coffee shop in Planeptune. I know there's franchises that stay open here, but if you wanted to open up a local coffee shop, you'd be better off in Lastation or even Leanbox."

As I hit _Start_ on the timer, I can't help but admit that she's right.

"I suppose so. But I guess it doesn't matter too much, does it?"

"Not in particular. Just something to think about."

"Well, maybe the next time I head out to visit him, I'll ask him about it."

"Ah, don't force yourself, though."

"Don't worry, it's me we're talking about. I'm about as lazy as they come."

IF rolls her eyes at that one as we head out of the kitchen, finding Compa sitting at the counter with a too-big smile on her face.

"Did I miss something?"

"Not at all." IF and I say together, the two of us glancing at each other before she gives a shrug and rejoins Compa on the other side of the counter.

"It'll be a few minutes, but they're currently baking. Thank you for your patience."

"Oh, there's no need to rush." Compa says. I simply nod and lean on the counter. "Did you two talk about anything interesting?"

I note that Compa eyes IF for a second and I do my best not to glance over at the latter. "Not in particular. Just about the previous owner of the place."

"Oooh?"

I lean back and laugh, shrugging. "It's nothing too special. But while we're waiting for your desserts, I'll just repeat myself. Sorry to make you listen to it twice, IF."

The woman in question simply waves me off, as if telling me off for making another apology.

With that, I tell Compa pretty much the same things as I did to IF, though Compa seems to take it a lot more happily. She is a rather bubbly person, after all.

Eventually the pastries are finished as well, and I bring them out for the two of them.

"Ah, careful, the tins are still hot." I say as I start unfolding the takeout boxes for them.

"They smell absolutely delicious~"

"Thank you, Compa."

Using tongs, I take each of her freshly baked scones and place them in a nice arrangement in the box before closing it. I do the same thing for IF and her muffins, pushing them across the counter.

Afterwards, I clear the counter as the two of them start to gather their belongings.

"Hm? Double booking?" IF asks as I lay out a few glasses.

"Ah, no. I was just going to practice my latte art. I'm still rather atrocious at it, so I figured I would practice." I say, preparing some steamed milk. "I'd like to improve on the weakest thing I have, just in case."

IF snorts while laughing. "I'd be surprised if Nep asked for coffee, but I guess there's no harm in covering yourself just in case."

"Mhm. Is there anything else I can get you two before you head out?"

IF and Compa look at each other before shaking their heads.

"Thanks for everything, Elliot." Compa says, heading out the door first.

"Thank you for helping with today. Please come again."

She gives a soft wave before the door closes, starting to walk out of sight.

"Ah, a cup of coffee for the road, IF?"

"No, no. You're fine." IF sighs, shaking her head. "Well, I'm going to head out as well. Good night, Elliot."

"See you Monday, I take it?"

"Probably, assuming I'm not working late. I'll have a latte with the rose pattern, okay?"

"Yes, yes." I say, with a clearly fake wave of annoyance to shoo her away. IF only laughs as she leaves my shop, putting her pastries in the sidecar of her motorcycle. Afterwards, she mounts it and gives a wave back to me. I return it, and just like that, she immediately takes off with the roar of the engine breaking the silence of the quiet Saturday night.

Well, no time like the present to get to work...

* * *

The next few days go off fairly quietly.

My new pudding recipe is received fairly well. It is very much on the sweet side, sweeter than my usual dessert pastries, but some of the kids who accompany adults who come to the shop seem to like it.

A few of my regulars do give me a bit of a friendly ribbing, having a laugh about how it's taken me so long to actually make my own recipe for pudding, considering we are in Planeptune. Granted, it's not anything major. It's not like I suddenly have newspapers printing the name of my cafe in them or anything like that.

And then, on a rather lazy Friday afternoon, as I was bringing out another round of cheese danishes…

"Oooooh, I found it, I found it! Hey, come on, you were the one who wanted to come here, so hurry uuuup!"

There's only one person that voice, even if muffled by being outside of my shop, could belong to. Anyone who lived in Planeptune long enough would surely recognize it.

"Hey, boss, that isn't…"

"Jeremy, on your best behavior."

"You got it, boss." He says, back straightening up.

I take a deep breath and—

I nearly drop the hot platter of freshly baked cheese danishes when the door to my shop opens up.

When I heard our Lady's voice outside, along with others, but I supposed that those were her friends. As in, maybe coworkers at the Basilicom, maybe a secretary she's close with. Maybe even mutual friends such as Compa or IF. At worst for my nervousness, Lady Nepgear, but we had met once before, so it wasn't too much of a concern.

What I did not expect was the four goddesses of Gameindustri walking through my door.

And IF, who looks like she does _not_ want to be here. I make eye contact with her, as she's in the back of the group, and she quickly makes a gesture back, shaking her head 'no' and waving her hand over her neck. I got it, IF. Don't worry. I understand. I don't know what exactly is going on, however, I at least know that gesture.

Leading the pack of four (plus IF) is our Lady Neptune, with her signature purple hair, D-pad hair clips, and loose white jacket that covers whatever shorts she is (hopefully) wearing underneath them.

Behind her follow three other signature figures, which no one could mistake for anyone else.

Second in line is Lady Vert, wearing a dark green dress with puffy sleeves, a green choker, and what looks like a ribbon attached to her back. Her long blonde hair sparkles in the afternoon light and a well-time draft ends up pushing it into the face of—

—Lady Blanc, wearing a white dress and fur-collared coat. Her light brown hair that comes down to her shoulders is partially hidden by that puffy hat of hers that I swear somewhat reminds me of a nurse's cap.

And last in the line of goddesses is Lady Noire, with her black hair coming down to her waist. She's wearing a matching, if rather fancy, black dress with gold lining and buttons, along with what I guess are gloves, but they don't really cover her hands despite running all the way up to just underneath her shoulders, where they have frills on the end.

I can feel my throat constrict and immediately try to distract myself by putting the cheese danishes in the display area, then quickly retreat to the kitchen to put the tray back before coming back out to the counter as fast as possible.

Deep breaths, deep breaths. Come on.

They stand around at the end of the line, looking up at the menu options and talking to themselves. I see IF occasionally mention something to them, probably trying to help me out here. After about three minutes of discussion, the five of them break, with IF being the one to go to the counter.

I force myself not to breathe a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, I can slightly relax if it's her placing the order.

"Good afternoon, what can I get you today?"

I see IF pause, then nod, clearly relieved that I got her message. Maybe she wants to keep it a secret from Lady Neptune she knew about the pudding beforehand? I suppose it would seem kind of unfair if she knew it was coming, or something like that.

I try not to smile as I think of the term "pudding insider", but also keep track of IF's order, which unfortunately includes latte art…

"I tried, okay?" IF says, keeping her voice down.

"It's fine."

IF gives me a concerned look as I process her payment (in cash) and return her change.

"Your change is two hundred and thirty seven credits. It will be out shortly, please feel free to have a seat."

IF only nods at this as I go to prepare the goddess' orders.

"Jeremy, please man the counter while I take care of this."

"You got it, boss. Good luck."

It's not exactly a difficult order. Three servings of pudding, a cinnamon crumb muffin, a blueberry and chocolate chip scone, a cherry danish, and apple fritter for the food. As for drinks, apple juice, ristretto, a latte with the rose art, green tea, and a mocha. I've certainly had far more complicated orders.

First thing's first, is put all of the pastries onto a circular tray, each on their own plate, save for the pudding, as I have to go and get that from the fridge (which I immediately do so).

Fortunately, there isn't a very big rush due it being Friday afternoon, meaning that any customers that arrive are easy for Jeremy to handle. This allows me to focus on making the drinks, which doesn't take very long.

I do a quick mental check as I load everything onto the tray. Yep, yep, yep… all there. Got it. Double check, make sure I didn't screw anything up, and… okay, yes. No way I messed up at least getting what they ordered down.

Hoisting the tray up, I then reach for the small portable stand and carry it over to the table where the goddesses and IF are sitting. I quietly open the stand up and put the tray down, and start calling orders.

The cherry danish and green tea go to Lady Vert. The mocha and apple fritter go to Lady Blanc. IF of course, has her ristretto and cinnamon crumb muffin.

"Ah, I'll have the art done in just a bit. My apologies." I say as I put the cup for the latte in front of Lady Noire along with the scones. "And of course, last but not least, three servings of pudding and apple juice for Lady Neptune."

I can feel the sighs of the others at the table as she takes her three plates, at the very least looking impressed by the plates and the presentation of the pudding.

"Oooh, you really do know how to impress, mister!"

"Thank you." I say, giving a slight bow. "Ah, if you'll allow me."

Alright, this is the moment of truth.

I can feel IF's eyes on me as I slowly work with the steamed milk. I've been practicing enough now, so… ahaha, hey, it doesn't look so bad! It at least looks like a flower, now.

"Oh, hey, you aren't as bad with your latte art anymore." IF says, having been seated next to Lady Noire.

"Thank you, I've been practicing, after a—"

IF and I glance at each other as I stop my sentence dead in its tracks. We have a bit of a silent debate in the span of a second and a half about who to blame for this, although if you look at it, this isn't one hundred percent my fault at all. Only one thing to do, I suppose.

"Ah, well, if there is anything else I can get you, please don't hesitate to come to the counter. Please, enjoy yourselves."

With that, I place the steamed milk back on the tray, lift it up, and close the stand, making a hasty retreat before either of us can slip up any further. Sorry, IF, but I'll make it up to you another time, I promise!

I try to ignore what is likely the angry glare directed to the back of my skull as I go back over to the counter. Okaaay, just to hope that nothing else really comes out of it. Now just to pretend that I can't see them occasionally looking over my way. Or maybe I'll retreat into the kitchen and prepare something else.

Either way, this is totally unexpected…

* * *

 **Teeheehee.**

 **Sorry for the super long delay; I've had this chapter ready for so long but kept constantly pushing it back. I've also hit a small bit of inspiration so I'm working on some of my other projects as we go along.**

 **Anyways there isn't really a lot to say about this chapter. Just kind of relaxed conversations between IF, Elliot, and Compa, along with talking about the history of his coffee shop. Nothing too major, with just some friendship moments between the first two. I kind of liked having the dynamic where Elliot is unsure of himself when it deals with Nep, and IF isn't stressed about it at all due to knowing her for some time so she can give him that little push.**

 **The last bit was me having a bit of fun. It's been a scene I've entertained in my head since the beginning of this story, actually. I'll admit that it definitely leans more towards "ship tease", though.**

 **I don't know if this story'll be on my "punctually update" list, but we'll see how long this stride of inspiration holds out. Catch you all whenever I update next lol**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:** Aftermath

* * *

"I'm sorry."

I glance away, unable to keep eye contact with the harsh glare IF launches at me, despite the fact she's slumped over at the counter.

It's Friday evening, just a few hours from the encounter with the four goddesses earlier today. They tipped rather well, and based on what I was able to garner from IF, who recounted the events of today, it seems they may be apt to return. They did like the recipes I had, and at the very least, Lady Neptune gave her stamp of approval for my pudding recipe.

"Um, I'll get you anything you'd like?"

Still glaring.

"I'll get it right away."

It couldn't have been that bad, could it?

After retrieving a slice of cookies and cream cake and a slice of cinnamon swirl cake, I put them both on a platter, get a fork which also goes on the platter, and slide it down the counter. The plate lightly taps IF's shoulder. She lifts her head up and looks off to the side, where she then sees me preparing some hot chocolate.

"I've been told that sometimes you just need something sweet when you're feeling out of it."

IF rolls her eyes as she sits up. "Can I at least have double the whipped cream?"

"As long as you're willing to run it off afterwards. Wouldn't want those inches getting to you, right?"

She only gives a huff as I reach for the fridge that contains that whipped cream. Popping off the lid, I then push on the nozzle, hearing that familiar hissing of the cream being sprayed out onto the drink.

After putting away the whipped cream, I slide the platter the cup is on down along the counter, leaving it next to IF.

"Thanks, Elliot."

"Can I ask what was so exhausting about what they asked you?"

IF only sighs, looking away.

"This and that, really."

"It's not like you to be so evasive. But if it's something you really can't tell me, then it's fine."

"No, it's just…"

IF shakes her head.

"They got the wrong idea, is all."

"The wrong idea?" I ask as I stand across from IF, trying to keep eye contact with her.

She glances away, out the window. "They thought I was hiding you from them. You know, like that."

Like that…? Oh…

Oh.

"A-ah, I see."

So they thought IF and I were seeing each other? I guess that's a fair assumption to make, especially if we're pretending not to know each other.

"Yeah. It was kind of a pain, really. I tried insisting that we weren't like that, but Nep is kind of a handful. Expect her to come and interrogate you later, by the way."

I try to laugh while I scratch the back of my head. "I see, I'll be on the lookout for her, then. Why _did_ you want to hide me, anyways?"

"To avoid this, obviously. If I went in and talked to you normally, I'd never hear the end of it. 'Oh my goodness, IF's really friendly with that guy and we don't hear anything about him', and on and on and _on_."

"You know, you give me flak about needing more friends, but I think if they think we must have something incredibly special like that just because you're actually talking to a guy, then you need some more friends."

"Oh shut up." She says, drinking her hot chocolate afterwards.

"You know, I also can't help but feel that if we had simply acted normal, it would be far easier to explain…"

IF makes noises that sound like grumbling before putting her cup down.

"I think Nep still would have interrogated you, anyways. Besides, I didn't exactly want her knowing it was a place I frequent."

"Hm?"

"Nep's a good friend, but sometimes you just need your own space. So having a place where I'm a regular and Nep doesn't know about it, it's just that sort of thing."

"Ah, I understand. Well, judging by your report, it doesn't seem like Lady Neptune will be frequenting this place too often. While my recipe was enjoyable, it's not exactly out of the ballpark great."

"Now you're just tempting fate." IF mumbles as she uses the fork to dig into her cookies and cream cake. "I guess I'll just have to find a new local coffee shop."

I put a hand over my chest and fake pain. "Oh, you wound me greatly, IF. How did they find out about this place, anyways?"

"Noire was the one who found out about it, actually. They've been in town for some while due to some work and Noire was going to visit this place to check it out, Nep found out, immediately got the others together, and they decided to come as a group."

"And you?"

"Nep dragged me along because she knows of my coffee habits and I happened to be there at the time. She also wanted to hang out again, saying we hadn't done that in a while."

I can't help but snicker a little bit, IF shooting me a nasty look.

"Well, I'll be sure to be prepared. I'm sure that I'll be able to put any of their suspicions to rest."

"You sure? You looked like you wanted to be anywhere _but_ here when all four of them came by."

"I was only expecting Lady Neptune, not all four goddesses of Gameindustri to _waltz_ in right through my door!"

IF rolls her eyes. "You really should've expected it, though. Where one goes, they all tend to go after a while."

"Might've been good to mention that to me _before_ today."

"Well—" IF points her fork right between my eyes and I can't help but wonder if the consistency of the cookies and cream cake on it is all right as she does so. "—consider us even, then."

"You know, it's only because you didn't say anything that it might've happened like this."

IF gives me something between a pout and scowl as she goes back to eating her cake.

"So, if Lady Neptune—"

"When."

"— _when_ Lady Neptune interrogates me, I should just answer truthfully, right?"

"At this point, probably for the best. She won't believe you sometimes, though, so try not to come off as too desperate to be believed."

"I'll do my best. It will be rather nerve wracking to speak with her in person."

"You get used to it." IF says, leaning forward and now playing with her cake. "Well, at the very least they won't have time to bug me about it. I'll just have to steer clear of the Basilicom whenever I can."

"Sorry to cause trouble for you."

IF just sighs. "Let's just say it's both our faults, all right?"

"I can agree to that. Why wouldn't they have time to bug you about it, though?"

"They're probably busy planning the yearly expo, which is why all four of them are even all here. It's Planeptune's turn to host it this year, so there's bound to be a lot of coordination and talks between them." IF chuckles before her next sentence. "Or they'll just let their Oracles handle everything while they goof off."

"Hmm…"

"What is it?"

"Just wondering if it will affect my business, when it rolls in. I should probably look into when it is, I might buy some more ingredients then. Can you at least keep me in the know?"

"Sheesh, you should at least know when these big expositions are. Just look up the annual Goddess Gaming Exposition when you have time."

"Fine, fine." I say, waving her off. "Can I get you anything else?"

"That depends."

I roll my eyes as IF gives me a knowing smile. "Yes, yes, it's on me."

"Then, that maybe another slice of that cookies and cream cake…"

She slides her now empty platter over to me. I take it and go back to the display case and take another slice out, along with a second platter which I put another slice on.

"Here you are." I say, handing IF her old platter while finding myself another fork to use to eat my own slice of cake.

"Thank you."

The two of us continue to make small talk as we eat, mostly IF complaining about all the questions that the goddesses asked her. Though really, I don't think I'm anyone particularly special. It shouldn't be so much trouble for them either, just to look into who I am.

IF doesn't exactly take it kindly when I suggest that I'm going to have superpowers now. This is totally the part in the story where I get swept up into the fantastic world, right?

"If that happens to you, I call being your incredibly-harsh-on-you mentor."

And with that, my dreams of becoming a hero were dashed.

As I see IF off for the night, I only hope that no more shenanigans like today happen.

* * *

Of course, I realize that such a hope was futile, and frankly after expressing hope that it wouldn't happen, that it would of course, happen. As it tends to be with silly things.

Now, I think my only complaint is that I do feel slightly insulted.

Namely, that they could at least try a little harder in their disguises. Maybe it's because IF tipped me off, but I find myself seeing right through their attempts at passing themselves off as someone else. Mainly because they didn't even change the color scheme of their clothing. I also need to ask IF how reliable her information is, as I thought she said they wouldn't have time to look into me.

But seeing as it is day three since the four goddesses have come, and today marks the third time a singular goddess has entered my shop. It may also be the voice that tips them off. Or maybe I'm just very perceptive about who my regulars are and aren't.

Not that I'm really complaining, though. The fact that they're passing themselves off as someone regular it definitely very, very helpful to my stress levels.

What isn't very helpful to my stress levels has been the increased activity, because someone must have taken a picture, and now my shop has become a bit of a center of attention. I imagine the craze will fade when the next trend comes up, but for now, I am certainly finding myself exhausted at the end of each day. In fact, I already let Jeremy know, on the second day, that he would get a bonus at the end of this week due to the sheer volume of customers we have had.

I suppose I should've anticipated that, considered that if Lady Neptune had given me a good review, then certainly people would be bound to check it out. However, I didn't anticipate four goddesses doing so, and thus have been finding myself swamped.

I'm thankful on Day Six, where the evening is finally calm. I should really look into getting some better mats or something back on this side of the counter. Something to help me with my feet. Or maybe something like new shoes with better soles.

Definitely a big bonus for Jeremy this week. He looked exhausted when he was going to class. I even told him he didn't have to come in for some shifts, but he did anyways.

IF swings around as well, but we don't have the time to chat. It seems that work is ramping up for her with that expo she mentioned, so even our late night visits have temporarily been suspended.

"Ha…"

I sigh to myself while pouring a cup of coffee around the end of the day. Sheesh… well, at the very least, I shouldn't have to worry at _all_ about my expenses this month. Not that I usually do, but well, it's just another comfort.

With that, I start drinking my coffee, when I hear the door open. Ah, it's—she's not in disguise?

"Good evening." I say, putting my drink down and off to the side. "What can I get for you tonight?"

"Oh? Ah." Voice checks out, it's likely Lady Noire. "Hmm, can I get a mocha and a slice of cinnamon crumb cake?"

"Ah, sorry. We're out of the cake for tonight."

"Oh. Then…" I see her look over what's in the display case. "Well, I guess I'm in the mood for it. A slice of pecan pie, please."

"Understood. Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"Not for now." She says, taking out her card.

With that, I charge her for her food and begin preparing her drink after giving her the slice of pecan pie. I can feel her eyes on me as I do so, not in the really watching me way, but more of just the curiosity sort of way.

It doesn't take long to prepare her drink, and I serve it to her at the counter. As always, it's on a small little platter that comes with a stirring spoon.

"One mocha, as ordered, Lady Noire."

"So you did recognize me."

"Ah, sorry, I didn't—"

"It's fine, you don't need to apologize for it."

I breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm sor—"

I'm interrupted by a look from Lady Noire. Ah, I see…

"I didn't know how I was to address you, if you did not want me to use your name."

"Ha, well it's not like there's anyone here at the moment where it'd be troublesome."

That hurts just a little bit, but I suppose it is near the end of my hours, and so it's to be expected that it's not very crowded here.

"That is true. Well, please let me know if there is anything else I can get you."

As I turn to go to the kitchen, I hear her voice again.

"You have pudding back there, right?"

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"Neptune might be coming as well. Or actually, the rest of them might."

I can feel my blood turn to ice. The air seems to get caught in my throat. For a second, it almost feels like I've suddenly been plunged into the bottom of the sea.

"Ah, I see."

I manage to force a few words out in the midst of my nervousness. All four goddesses, here? Oh no, oh no, oh no. This isn't good. I'm not ready at all for this. I'm not ready for this at all. It was one thing when they caught me off guard, it's another to know that they're all coming.

"Don't be nervous. It's not like you have anything to hide, right?"

"Of course not." I somehow manage to stammer that out. "Just… a bit overwhelming, is all. A-ah, I'll go and make sure I have enough pudding in stock, then."

With that, I quietly excuse myself and go to the kitchen, where I can calm myself down. I lean back against the fridge door and take a few breaths. Okay, I can do this. It's not like I haven't had to deal with high end clients before. But then again it was just taking orders from them and being courteous, not actually having to make small talk with them.

I slap both of my cheeks and take another breath. It's fine, it's fine. I can do this. Besides, if I can get through this, then I'll know that I can handle any client. I just have to be courteous, is all. Right. Okay, I can do this. I've made it this far, right? Besides… IF's entrusted me with this. If she thinks I can handle something like this, I can.

Six platters of pudding ought to do it…

I can still see my hands trembling a little bit as I carefully stack the platters once they're out of the fridge. I just have to not drop them, is all.

I slowly move out to the counter area, where Lady Noire is still alone. I thank my luck for that as I put the pudding platters into the fridge for easy retrieval, and then go to clean up the tables while waiting.

"I'm surprised you aren't in Lastation."

"Is it that odd for a coffee shop to be out in Planeptune, Lady Noire?"

Her answer to my question is interrupted by the door opening. As she said, the three remaining goddesses enter the cafe, also undisguised.

"Good evening, Lady Neptune, Lady Blanc, Lady Vert. I will be with you in just a moment." I say, wrapping up wiping down the table. "Please feel free to have a seat."

I hurriedly walk back over to the counter after putting the rags into the sink and washing my hands.

"What can I get for you tonight?" I say, feeling the fear starting to drip away. As soon as I go into my usual service routine, it almost feels like everything else is secondary.

As expected, it's pudding for Lady Neptune. Lady Vert requests some tea, and Lady Blanc requests a latte, although I don't need to do the art this time. In addition, they order the last of the pastries I have left.

"Please, enjoy."

There's a bit of silence as they enjoy their snacks, which I use to collect myself and also make sure that the place is ready for closing.

"So—!" Lady Neptune pauses as she finishes off her first serving of pudding. She then points her spoon at me in an accusatory fashion. "—just who are you, mister, and what's your relationship with IF?"

I almost chuckle, feeling like I'm being interrogated by someone's father. However, the fear is just the same, as rather than a strong, muscular man who looks like he could squeeze my head to make it pop, it is an actual goddess—the same goddess who governs the nation I live in—asking me this question.

"Well, Lady Neptune, I am Elliot, owner of the _Lapin House._ I'm a friend, or at least I would hope to consider myself a friend, to IF." I say, putting on my best customer-facing smile,

She narrows her purple eyes at me, as if looking for any deception.

"Hmm. Ah, was that not the name of the gentleman Nepgear spoke of earlier?" Lady Vert asks.

"Haaaa?! Wait, my little sis Nepgear's been seeing a man on the side?! And how do you know that?!"

I have to try very hard not to laugh. In fact, for a second, it doesn't even feel like I'm with several very famous people. It actually feels like I'm meeting, say, IF's older sisters for the first time.

"She mentioned it in passing when it we were waiting for the rain to clear up two days ago." Lady Vert says, looking at me as I try not to give anything away. However, she smiles (a rather _dangerous_ smile, at that!), which makes me think I gave something away. "Did you two share a moment under the rain, perhaps?"

"She escorted me home on IF's orders." I say, recalling that day. "Oh, that reminds me. I have not had the chance to return the umbrella that Lady Nepgear let me use. Lady Neptune, before you go, I'd like to return it."

"I will take that as a 'yes', then."

"Ah, please don't misunderstand, Lady Vert. IF and I were at the Saul-Mart on the southern portion of Planeptune when the storm started. She called Lady Nepgear to ask for umbrellas, and since the Basilicom and my shop are in the same direction, we ended up walking together. Mostly because IF told her to make sure I didn't run off."

"Run off?" Lady Blanc asks, interest clearly piqued.

"IF was concerned I would give away my umbrella to someone if I found them being soaked in the rain, no matter who it was, and then proceed to get sick by being in the downpour."

"Hey, wait a minute! There's a Saul-Mart close to this shop, why were you at the one closer to where IF lives?" Lady Neptune asks, all four of them turning their eyes towards me.

"The Saul-Mart here was out of condensed milk."

They all give me looks of disappointment, as if they were expecting something more. It's a technically correct answer, though.

"Is there something wrong with my answer?"

No one answers that question.

"Is there anything else I can answer for you, then?"

"You seem a little eager to answer questions." Lady Noire notes. "Are you sure you aren't hiding something?"

"Like how IF was trying to hide him from us! What's up with that, anyways?"

"Well, Lady Neptune, please think of it like this. Everyone has their own personal space, a place they like to consider their own." I say, thinking back to when IF and I talked about it. "Maybe she just felt like a place like that for her was being intruded on. However, she's a good friend, and tried to give the illusion that it was 'just another place' to all of you. I played along with it because she asked."

The mood is slightly heavier because of that.

"Why did you run away when you were exposed?" Lady Blanc says, asking the obvious follow up question.

"I panicked. IF is much better at that sort of thing than I am, so I as they say, folded like a house of cards and decided running away was a better option."

They seem to buy that answer, well enough.

"Hmm, so _just_ to be absolutely clear, mister. You're not seeing either IF or my little sister Nepgear?" Lady Neptune asks, leaning across the counter.

I nod before speaking. "I can honestly say, and I swear it on your name, Lady Neptune, that I am not seeing IF nor Lady Nepgear."

Lady Neptune leans back and there seems to be a silent conversation going on between the goddesses, as if evaluating my response. I can understand the questioning about IF, but Lady Nepgear and I have only spoken once to each other. But I can understand Lady Neptune's concern, as it is for her sister.

I end up getting interrogated anyways. The question about whether or not IF is my girlfriend comes up multiple times, to which I respond the same way each time.

"No, we're not like that. She's a regular at my store, and I hope she considers me a friend, as I consider her one."

I think it's a bit suspicious to answer the same way each time, but I think it's also good to keep my answer consistent.

"Then, shouldn't we ask him _that_ question?"

I can feel my nervousness suddenly skyrocket as Lady Vert gives me a knowing smile. The other three goddesses seem interested, not exactly knowing what she means to ask.

"Try to keep it appropriate."

I almost want to verbally give my thanks to Lady Blanc right this instant, but manage to keep myself from doing so. Thank you for being the voice of reason.

"Of course I will. It's a question none of us have asked yet. Mister Elliot?"

I swallow hard, not liking how she put 'mister' in front of my name. That just spells all sorts of trouble.

"Yes, Lady Vert?"

"What does a gentleman as yourself think of IF?"

That's a landmine laden question if I ever heard one. However, it's not particular hard to answer, I think.

"Hmm… Can I get a minute to think about it?"

"Of course, of course."

"Also, can I ask a question in return, afterwards? To all of you?"

Lady Vert glances at the others, who shrug or nod. "Yes, of course. It would be rude of us to hog all the questioning."

I nod in return, then start my response. "All right. Well, to answer your question, I think IF is a good friend. She knows how to listen to people and offers good advice. I think she has a great sense of responsibility, but could also use a vacation, though she probably isn't the type to do so, haha. And well, that's what I think about her. May I ask my question, now?"

The goddesses seem to mull my answer over before Lady Vert says that I can ask my question.

"Well, it's actually a two-parter. Um, first, would it be too much to ask for a photo? I don't know if my mentor would exactly believe me if I said all of you arrived, but I'd also just like to hang it up in the cafe, here. It completely slipped my mind the day you all first arrived."

They seem to be fine with it, so I move into the next question.

"Second, I'd just like to understand why you wanted to ask me all of this. I have a feeling, but still."

Neptune only gives a big smile.

"It's because IF's a _friend_ —" Thank you very much for emphasizing the word I have been using all tonight, Lady Neptune. "—so it's only natural we'd wanna talk with the guy she seems to be friends with, especially when we hear nothing about you."

Lady Noire and Lady Blanc give responses more along the lines of "Got dragged into this by Lady Neptune", but both admit some curiosity about IF, as she doesn't seem like the type to keep secrets of this nature.

"Similarly to Neptune, IF and I are also friends. When she seemed to be hiding a man, ufufu, well, I could not help but be curious about him." Lady Vert says. "But you seem to be telling the truth that you really are just friends."

"I'm actually a really terrible liar, as IF can attest to." I say with a sigh. "I really can't keep a secret. Additionally, thank you for believing me."

"Hm? Why are you so thankful for that?"

"Well, it would be rather inconvenient for IF if you didn't believe me. I've had a girlfriend before, so I know how out of hand the teasing can get. It does get kind of exhausting."

"Hmhmm, okay."

I get the sense that Lady Vert is not quite letting me off the hook with that response.

"May I go get the camera, as well?"

They say yes to that, and I run upstairs and get the camera plus the umbrella Lady Nepgear let me borrow, then run back downstairs.

I put the camera on a table that faces the counter and angle it properly for the photo. The goddesses shuffle around to get into the photo, and I then push the delay photo button before moving back behind the counter.

I make it just in time to straighten myself out before the flash of the camera goes off. Phew.

"Ehhh? I thought you'd want to be in front." Lady Neptune says as I go to retrieve the camera.

"Well, I belong behind the counter. It's only natural I be back there."

I check on the camera, finding the picture to be good enough, and turn it off. I then reach for the umbrella and hold it out to Lady Neptune.

"Here you are, Lady Neptune. Lady Nepgear gave me this umbrella to use when she walked me home during that day in the rain and I hadn't had the chance to return it. I apologize for the delay in getting it back to her."

"Geez, you can drop the whole stuffy and formal thing. It's way too bo~ring!"

"A-ah, sorry." I say as she takes the umbrella back. "Thank you for allowing me to take your picture."

"It's fine! Anyways, I'm officially giving you my Neptune Seal of Approval for being IF's friend."

"Isn't that something you made up just now?" Lady Noire mumbles from behind her as Lady Neptune starts for the door.

"Huhu, of course not!"

"Hm? Noire, are you not coming with us?" Lady Blanc as, seeing as Lady Noire goes back to sitting down.

"I wanted to have another cup of coffee. I'll catch up with you the rest of you later."

"Ah, please let me get that for you then. Would you like another mocha?"

"Yes, please. Ah, though, please make it to go."

"I'll get that out right away." I say, taking the card that Lady Noire offers me. "Have a good night, Lady Neptune, Lady Blanc, Lady Vert."

The three of them return the farewell as I prepare her mocha after processing her payment. There's a strange quiet between us, though Lady Noire isn't looking at me, but rather the rest of the shop.

"Is there something that catches your eye here, Lady Noire?"

"Something about this cafe feels familiar, is all."

"I see." I then put the cap on her drink and slide it across the counter. "May I ask how my coffee rates, Lady Noire?"

"Hmmm. Well, it's enough for it to be a surprise that you aren't competing in Lastation." She says, standing up. "Thank you."

"Mhm. Please come again. I'll be sure to keep a slice of cinnamon crumb cake for you in reserve."

I hear an amused huff from her as she leaves the cafe. As soon as the door fully closes, I breathe a _deep_ sigh of relief, finally glad they're gone. Goodness, that was incredibly stressful. But I did my best, and well, it was nice, actually. I felt like I just got an exclusive interview with them, even if I was the one being questioned.

I really need to go to sleep, too. Haa… tomorrow is going to be another busy day as well… but at the very least, IF and I can finally put this whole thing behind us. I'll be _very_ glad to go to some semblance of normalcy.

* * *

 **Hey look at that, another update. I had a bit of fun with this chapter, haha. I'm struggling on the next one, though. Not to super spoil, but Kei is in the next chapter and I for the** _ **life of me**_ **always hit a wall when I try to think about how Kei would talk and act. I can kind of envision her along with looking at her dialogue in game, but seriously, I just get _stumped_ trying to do it myself. If any of you want to hand me advice on that, I will graciously take it.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, didn't have IF as much in it other than the beginning, but I think that's fine. I kind of liked writing the dynamic where both of them are sincerely trying to convince the CPUs they're just friends, though really, this is a problem of both their making.**

 **Anyways, let me know what I can improve on next time. Meanwhile, I'll go back trying to figure out how the hell to write Kei.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:** Evaluation

* * *

"Ah, hello." I say as one Lady Noire walks in through my door and walks up to the counter. "Isn't Lastation rather far away…?"

"The planning is best done in person, rather than over a conference call." Lady Noire responds as she sits down at the counter.

I thought they'd at least disguise themselves, but I suppose they don't really have an issue with crazy hordes of fans. Or at least, crazy hordes of fans that are liable to cause chaos. Which I think my insurance policy covers. I should check.

"I see. Then, can I get you anything today, Lady Noire?"

"The cinnamon crumb cake, please."

"An excellent choice. Can I get you anything else?"

"Hmm, a latte, with the rose art."

"I'll have that right out for you."

I gather everything, like always. A platter for the cake, a platter and cup for the coffee, let's get to work. It doesn't take long, as always, since I'm very used to this. Not to mention that it's not very busy this morning. The craze seems to have worn off, thankfully.

"Were you really that bad at latte art?" Lady Noire asks as I set the cup in front of her before starting to pour the steamed milk in.

"Please trust me when I say that I might as well have dumped a cup of milk in haphazardly with how bad it was."

Before she can reply, the sound of a motorcycle coming to a stop is heard, cutting Lady Noire off. As I expect, IF comes in through the door, waving to me as she takes her helmet off.

"In a rush today?" I ask, with IF nodding as she takes out her card. "Let's see, a mocha with a caramel drizzle along with two cheese danishes?"

"Thanks, Elliot." She says, sitting down at the counter after she hands me her card.

"My pleasure." I say back, getting an eye roll from IF as I process her payment, hand her back her card, and get to work preparing her order.

"I see we're feeling a bit more formal today."

"I was considering going back to a suit and tie when I serve coffee as well." I say, quickly finishing her mocha and going for the caramel drizzling to really complete it.

"I thought suits were too expensive for you." IF says back, going for the snipe.

"Consider it an investment." I reply, having seen it coming, while putting her danishes into the small take-out box. "Who knows, maybe I'll rebrand into an exotic coffee cafe, where you have to reserve a seat three months ahead of time just to have a sip."

"Be sure to whitelist me for my evening orders, then. Or I'll have to go back to the convenience store coffee."

"Of course, of course." I say, sliding her order forward. "One mocha with caramel drizzling and two cheese danishes. Good luck out there today, IF."

"Thanks for the pick-me-up, Elliot. Oh, I might not be in later tonight, though."

"Lots of work piling up?"

"You know it. At least once it's closing time, you're off. I wish it was like that for me." She says, putting her helmet back on before gathering her order. "See you later."

"Mhm. Have a good day."

It's approximately twenty seconds after IF's motorcycle has revved off and its engine sounds fading away into the distance before I remember who was here to see that.

"Quite the friendship you have there."

"Ah, well, that's just how IF and I are, Lady Noire." I say with a bit of a laugh. "Though I have to say her wit is a lot better than mine, but I guess I've picked up on a few things after doing this with her so often."

"You didn't mention that to us a few nights ago."

"Well, you didn't really ask, so I apologize for not talking about it."

"True enough." Lady Noire says before finishing the last bits of coffee from her cup, setting it down afterwards. "Have a good day."

"You too, Lady Noire."

I breathe a small sigh of relief when she leaves the shop. Even though I've talked to them a few times, I'm still a bit scared that I'll trip over myself or say something that offends them.

Still though, this exposition that's coming up… I did a bit of research and I am a bit close to some hotels. Perhaps not right next to them or exactly directly on the most efficient path to get to the exposition center from the hotels, but close enough where you don't have to go out of your way to get to the shop.

Based on that, I think that it's going to be a little rough this year. Not in the losing money sense, but in the volume of customer sense. If the local popularity was any indication, I can't help but be somewhat intimidated by the possibilities of how many people might come through the door when tourists from the other three nations arrive. With any luck, my shop will have passed out of the fad and I'll be somewhat forgotten by the time the exposition occurs.

Haha, though of course, now that I'm thinking that, the opposite is bound to happen.

The days seem to go by without much incident. It is a bit strange that Lady Noire has begun to frequent this place in the mornings, but I suppose if the rumors had anything to say, she does have a fondness for coffee. If anything, that means I should be happy to have her seal of approval.

Though, I suppose that means she's at least wary of IF's situation, as she never comes here during the nighttime, even if IF isn't here.

"Good evening, IF—" I say as I hear the door open in the evening.

"Ah, sorry."

I realize my mistake only too late as it's not IF, but rather a short-haired silver haired… woman? I want to say woman, due to the voice, dressed in a suit that has a bit of a cape-thing hanging off the bottom. I have to say it's a very fancy suit, too, having some kind of silver embroidering along the edges of the fabric. Or at least, the top of a suit, as I think she's wearing either shorts or a skirt. Hard to tell.

She's also got a light blue tie which compliments her eyes, which seem to be scanning me in that sort of 'boss looking at a new hire' sort of way.

"No, no, it's fine. Sorry about that, I just thought you were someone else. What can I get for you?"

"A latte, please. No art, though."

"Ah, alright. Anything else?"

"Hmm, no."

"Got it. That's eighty credits, miss…"

"Kei."

"Miss Kei." I say as she offers her card to me. I take it, charge her card, and hand one of the receipts, which she signs. "Haha, sorry for being a little on the nose about that. I like to learn everyone's names is all."

"I see. I'm certain that your customers feel all the happier for it."

"I like to make people feel a little more welcome, is all. Are you in town for a business meeting?"

"Yes." She says very bluntly as I begin to prepare her latte.

"I imagine there's a lot of people getting ready for the exposition." I say, almost done with her drink. There's silence to my reply. "Not much of a talker, are you?"

"I prefer to keep my exchanges to only what I need. Time is money."

"Haha, I suppose so. But it can't hurt to just make some small talk every now and then, right?" I say, putting her now finished drink on a platter and carrying it over to her before placing it down. "One latte, for Kei."

"Thank you."

She seems like a very go-get-'em type, and not one for nonsense. I suppose that I have those types come in, but she seems moreso that way than usual.

It's a rather boring and quiet evening, but it's not like that's not appreciated. I would prefer it to a chaotic mess, after all.

"Heading out for the evening?" I ask as Kei stands up, wiping her mouth with a napkin. She quietly nods back. "A coffee or pastry for the road?"

"Thanks for the offer, but not tonight."

"I see. Well, have a good evening, Miss Kei."

"Kei will suffice. Good night."

With that, she leaves without another word. What a curious person. I suppose there are just those types that don't like small talk.

* * *

The days seem to come and go. I note that Kei reappears every now and then, but without any real consistency to when she'll show up. Sometimes in the morning rush, sometimes in the middle of an afternoon lull, and sometimes in the evening.

It kind of makes me feel like I have my old boss hovering over me, checking on me at random times. Of course, the man who turned the cafe over to me definitely wasn't like that, but it has that feel to it.

I don't let it unnerve me, but it's certainly… something. I don't want to make it seem like I'm uncomfortable with it, because I'm really not, but it does stick out to me. Compared to say, a new regular who would come in at regular times, or at least somewhat predictably, it's almost like she's purposely randomizing when she comes in.

Not enough to really throw me off my customer service game, but enough to make me wonder if there's something weird going on. I'm not one to pry, and this really would be more IF's field, though.

We haven't really had a chance to talk, as for the most part she just comes and goes, due to all the work that's been ramping up. I hope she has a day to relax soon. Otherwise I'd fear she'd overwork herself.

Hmm… if only I knew where exactly she worked. It would be nice to deliver something for her that would help her relax. I still have a few catering boxes left over, so doing something like dropping off a half dozen of cinnamon crumb muffins wouldn't be out of the question nor inconvenient. I'm sure she'll get annoyed at me later for doing something like that, though.

I try not to sigh, knowing that if I did do such a thing, of course the goddesses, who at this point I've come to view as something similar to IF's older sisters with how IF complains about their antics whenever we get the chance to talk for five minutes, would take it the wrong way. I swear, despite our insistence that IF and I are simply friends, it's like they're looking for something to indicate that isn't the case. What would've been an easy surprise now has rather annoying consequences, or at least for IF, rather than me. I'll be able to get off relatively scot-free, but as IF works almost directly with them, I know she won't hear the end of it.

Well… I guess it can't be too bad. Oh, or I could simply gift it to her the next time she shows up. If she brings it to her workplace, she can always say that she just wanted to have some snacks to store. No one should be any wiser to the fact it was a gift. As long as I don't get questioned directly, as I'm a terrible liar.

The following day, I prepare enough materials for some extra cinnamon crumb muffins, just in case IF shows up. The day is fairly quiet, though I don't see Kei today.

It's only during the evening that IF finally comes in, looking fairly exhausted.

"Hot chocolate, extra whipped cream, and a bit of caramel drizzle?" I ask, giving her a smile. IF returns a weak one in return.

"And maybe a slice of apple pie."

"Right away."

IF clambers up to her seat at the counter, taking out her card afterwards. I quickly process her payment and then get to work preparing her drink.

"You should get some sleep tonight. Or maybe take the day off tomorrow, you look incredibly worse for wear, IF."

"Maybe." She mumbles, slouching over the counter. "But just one more day and then the weekend."

"I suppose that's true. Anything to look forward to?"

"Just an easy mission, is all."

"That's still work." I say as I slide her drink and apple pie over to her.

"You work on Saturdays too, though." IF points out, and ultimately I can't argue against that.

"Okay, fine. You got me there."

"But it'll be really easy, compared to all the paperwork and meetings and everything like that. It's pretty much a vacation."

"I see. Oh, although I won't be able to get you any coffee this weekend, though…"

"Hm? Why's that?"

"Ah, I'm closed this Saturday and Sunday. I have a personal matter."

"Oh, I see, I see."

"So…"

"So?" IF asks, tilting her head.

"Well, just something for while I'm away." I say back, smiling as I start packing the extra muffins that survived the day in the warmer.

IF rolls her eyes. "Geez, it won't kill me to not have a pastry of yours for a few days."

I place the box of a half dozen muffins in front of her, smiling. "Well, just in case you want a pick me up during work, too."

"You didn't have to." IF says, taking out her card. I wave her off, shaking my head.

"You've looked like you're really struggling with the past few days, so I was worried for you. If I could've delivered it to your workplace, I would've done that, but well…"

I see IF sigh, putting her card away. "Geez… but thanks, Elliot."

"No problem, IF. Don't overwork yourself, okay?"

"I won't, I won't."

"Good."

"Though, I have to say you look a little jittery yourself. Something wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing major. Just a new customer with some odd habits."

I see IF narrow her eyes after she puts down the cup of hot chocolate, as if thinking to herself. "Go on?"

"She just comes at random times, not quite daily but almost. Hasn't ordered the same thing yet. She also sits in a different area of the cafe no matter how busy or not busy it is."

I pause due to IF's chuckling.

"Is… is something wrong?"

"No, it's just… are you sure you don't just have a _crush_ on this mysterious woman?"

"Wha—of course not, IF. Besides, she's terrible at small talk, anyways. Way too business like."

"Oh, oh, I see. I'm glad to know you already know that much, at least."

I groan, knowing I just dug myself further into a hole, much to IF's continued amusement.

"Noticing her orders to that detail, knowing where she sits, seeing she comes in at different times despite her being new here. Awww, that's so cute."

"S-shut up, IF." I mumble, with IF only laughing harder.

"Does your lady customer have a name?"

I try to remain quiet, but I crack under IF's curious gaze.

"...fine, her name is Kei."

This makes IF laugh to the point it seems all the exhaustion has faded from her face. In fact, I think she might be shedding a few tears. I simply sit there quietly, waiting for her to finish.

"Okay, okay, I think I'm good." IF says, finally calming down, then adopting a more serious expression. "It's okay, I don't think you actually have a crush on her, Elliot."

"I don't. She actually just makes me feel like I'm being observed, like, by my old boss or something, but way more than usual."

IF smiles, but doesn't laugh this time. "I'll talk to her about it."

"You know her?"

"We're business associates, let's put it that way."

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I doubt it's anything too important, but it is kind of strange she'd start showing up daily like that." IF says, nodding to herself. "I'll try to have an answer for you tomorrow, but she might also just explain it to you herself. I'd say she's like that."

"Very business like?"

"Yep. I'm sure she'll probably personally come and explain it too, since she'll consider it 'appropriate' rather than just sending some kind of letter of explanation. It'll also let her hash out any concerns you have pretty quickly."

"Alright. I don't think I have too many questions for her other than what she wanted out of it."

"And if she's free next weekend?"

I roll my eyes at her snipe. "Your hot chocolate's going to get cold."

"Nice save." She says back, going back to drinking. "So, anything else interesting happen today?"

The two of us continue to chit chat into the night, though IF leaves a little earlier than usual, saying that she's got to wake up early tomorrow. As she leaves on her motorcycle, I remind her not to overwork herself again, with IF laughing and waving me off as she makes me promise to do the same.

Now hopefully the situation with Kei is resolved...

* * *

"Good evening."

"Ah, hello, miss Kei." I say, recognizing the voice. I turn to look the door, finding her and… Lady Noire? This is…?

"IF asked me to explain things to you, and I suppose it has been long enough."

"I see… oh, and good evening, Lady Noire." I say, flashing my usual customer service smile. "Forgive my forwardness, but are you two ordering together?"

Kei nods as they sit down at the counter.

"Alright. What can I get for you tonight?"

Kei repeats the order from the first day she showed up, just a latte with no art, to go. Lady Noire takes a slice of cinnamon crumb cake and a mocha. I quickly get to work preparing them after taking their payments, feeling their gazes watching over me.

"Here you two are." I say, putting their orders in front of them.

"Thank you." Kei says, taking a sip. "Well, it's coincidence that Lady Noire and I are here together. But it does make the explanation easier. Two birds with one stone."

"Oh, that's right, you did say you had something you wanted to talk to me about." Lady Noire notes before taking a sip from her mocha.

"Forgive my forwardness, but I thought I should be fully transparent. Mister Elliot, I came here as it has made the news rounds that Lady Noire has visited this place and is in the public eye. I simply came here to ensure that Lady Noire being associated with such a place wouldn't present any issues."

"That's unnecessary, Kei." Lady Noire notes.

"Considering how the yearly expo is coming up, I thought it appropriate. We can't afford a PR disaster right now. Additionally, I apologize if I made you uncomfortable, Mister Elliot."

"Just Elliot will do, Miss Kei."

She nods. "If it disrupted your business activities in any way, I'd be willing to discuss compensation…"

I shake my head. "There's no need. I was only doing my job, but… there is one thing I'd like."

"And that would be?"

"I'd like to know what you thought of my service and what my evaluation is."

There's a brief pause in the air before Kei seems to chuckle, if only for a fleeting second. "I suppose that would be something of value to you."

"It's incredibly valuable to me."

She nods again. "Highly above satisfactory. As for your evaluation, mostly harmless."

I tilt my head in confusion. "Mostly?"

"You yourself admit that you're a terrible liar, so if someone were to entrust you with a great secret, I am sure it would slip out."

"Oh. I guess that's true." I say, feeling a bit sheepish after that. "Well, I'm glad to hear it. Thank you for telling me, Miss Kei."

"Just doing my job. If you'll excuse me, Lady Noire, I have some paperwork I want to get a headstart on."

"Huh? Oh, sure."

"Good night, then."

With that, Kei heads out, leaving me alone with Lady Noire.

"Sheesh… I let her do her own thing, but sometimes it is a bit intrusive."

"Well Lady Noire, I believe she has your best interest in mind. It wouldn't do for someone like you to be associated with a shady coffee shop now, would it?" I say, offering a comforting smile.

"I suppose not. But if IF trusts you, it's not like Kei had to do her own investigation."

"Mhm. Is everything going okay with the upcoming exposition?"

"Plans are almost complete, so I would say 'yes'. Unless something goes wrong at the last minute, which…" Lady Noire sighs. "...is unfortunately, more than likely."

"I'll hope that nothing does, for all of your sakes, then. I'm sure everyone is looking forward to that exposition, after all."

Lady Noire smiles a little bit at my encouragement, though she still looks somewhat tired. "Are you looking forward to it?"

"Ah, well, truthfully I don't really play a lot of games, so I can't say I'm excited for it in that sense. But, it will be nice to see all the buzz in the city about it, and if the city's in a good mood, then I certainly will be."

"I'm surprised you don't play games though, especially in Planeptune." Lady Noire says, sitting up in her seat.

"Maybe it's just that I don't have time. I guess I have the weekends, but I don't really have many friends to play games with, and doing something alone just feels… maybe a tiny bit empty."

"I… see."

"Lady Noire?"

"No, it's nothing." She says, shaking her head. "It's just that you seem like the kind of guy who has a lot of friends."

"Well, I do have friends, but most of them are working and don't have as much free time or are raising a family. Life moves on, you know?"

"I suppose. Oh, you hung up the photo?"

I trace her gaze to where I hung the photo of the goddesses I took that night, which hangs near the top of the wall directly behind the cash register, kept safe by a fancy black painted frame. I can't help but smile a little bit at it.

"It's a crowning achievement of this small cafe." I say, feeling my chest swell a little bit with pride. "Knowing that the four goddesses of Gameindustri took the time out of their day to visit this place. And knowing that you've come back, I'm incredibly humbled."

"Well, it does help that you do brew good coffee at a good price."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, and neither would the person who turned the shop over to me."

"Hmm."

I mostly wait on Lady Noire as the night goes by, although our time together is very short. It seems she's also very busy, but takes a mocha for the road.

Ah, well… I suppose I should start packing for tomorrow. I do have to visit the previous owner of this shop on his birthday, after all. There's so much I have to tell him.

* * *

 **Wow, life comes at you fast. I had a bunch of IRL stuff stack up pretty quick and so this got really delayed. But, hey, I'm free now lol**

 **Anyways, writing Kei was… okay, once I kind of got her down. I hope I got her down, at least. I had a bit of a fun time doing set small set up things, along with IF teasing Elliot for noticing Kei. Also I hope to kind of get the whole "gaming exposition" plotline starting to roll soon, but really like, lmao what's a plotline here. For the most part I feel like this story is more just snapshots in time, but I was using that planning for the gaming exposition as sort of a "backbone". You know, just something that you can see happening so events are going in chronological order and whatnot.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and as always, sorry for the long wait. Next chapter is already in the works, but just taking me a bit since I have two versions of it and I don't know which one I like better lol**

 **See you all next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:** Back to Roots

* * *

"Elliot, is that you?"

I turn my head at the train station, finding IF dressed in her usual wear, though she's got a snazzy grey sling bag with her that has a light green pattern on it.

"IF?"

" _What_ are you wearing?" She asks, a very questioning look on her face as she gestures to my outfit.

"Is it so wrong to dress a little nice?" I ask, suddenly feeling very self conscious about the nice slacks and button shirt I'm wearing. "I'm meeting someone."

"Seems like it. I didn't take you for the briefcase type." She says, pointing out the small, business-man like suitcase in my left hand. "Seriously, you look like a businessman in that outfit. A really young one, at that."

"Gee, thanks."

"Your tie could use some work, too."

"I don't usually wear one, so cut me a bit of slack." I say back, with IF laughing. "I thought you were having an easy job?"

"Yeah, out in the countryside area. Just the Dogoos getting uppity again, someone asked us to help with that."

"Oh, I see."

"So, who are you meeting, then? Also hey, stand still."

"Just the man who turned the shop over to me—wha, hey!"

I take a step away from her as she suddenly closed the distance, hands near my tie.

"I'm fixing your tie. If you're going to put it on, at least do it right."

I mumble in slight protest, but know that IF's going to out-stubborn me. After a few seconds, she pulls on it before taking a step back and nodding.

"There we go, much more symmetrical."

"Sheesh…" I mutter, with IF chuckling as she steps away.

"Anyways, as you were saying?"

"Ah, right… It's the anniversary of him officially turning it over to me, so I like to come in and let him know how I've done in the past year."

"That's pretty sweet of you."

"I'm a sentimental kind of guy, what can I say?" I ask, getting another chuckle from IF.

"I won't disagree with you there." She says, turning back to look out at the train tracks ahead of us.

The train station isn't exactly very crowded, as it's the first thing in the morning. So early in fact, that I didn't have time to brew myself any coffee, which is unfortunate. There's only a few other people here, a few dressed like me, impatiently checking their watches and adjusting their ties, and a few families, probably on a family vacation.

"Though, if you can take it easy, why take the early train?"

"Well, it'll free up the rest of the weekend if I get it done early, right? I'm surprised you're taking a day off, though."

"I have let my customers know about it for a while, and even put a sign in the window for a week now." I say back, with IF smiling.

Before we can say anything else, a recorded voice plays _"Please step back, train approaching"_ over the PA system. IF and I stand back as the silver train rolls into the station, the doors sliding open and a few people getting off, yawning as they do so. The voice then says _"We have arrived at Planeptune Central Station. The next stop is Monster Cave Station."_

"After you." I say to IF, gesturing for her to move ahead. She gives me an eye roll as she steps in, with me following her.

The train is fairly empty, as expected. We don't really even have to worry about finding a seat, and settle into a small open booth area that even has a table for us to use. I set my briefcase down in the seat next to me as IF takes a seat across from me, the train lurching forward.

"It's really amazing that they have these kinds of trains."

"Beats the subway system, though." IF says, shaking her head. "But these trains are meant for longer distances, so I guess it's worth their while to make them comfortable."

"I guess so. Unfortunately they don't come with anywhere to order food."

"Couldn't you have bought something at the station?" IF asks, and I can feel my cheeks heating up slightly.

"Ahaha, I don't take the train often enough, so it slips my mind all the time." I say a bit sheepishly, IF chuckling at my inexperience. "It's okay, I'll be able to hold out, though."

"Skipping breakfast is bad for you, Elliot."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." I mumble, leaning back in my seat and looking out the window. "I guess I'll be sure to stop by the convenience store and pick up some orange juice next time."

"I would've thought you'd have gotten coffee."

"Well, it does feel slightly like betrayal."

IF chuckles at this. "So you'd never drink coffee outside of your shop?"

"Well, if it was a fancy establishment and it was clearly of high quality, I don't think I could resist. Like if I was somehow in that really fancy hotel on Purple Street?"

"The one next to the convention center?"

"Yeah, I think so. Absolutely massive, looks like a skyscraper almost? Has a restaurant and fountain visible if you walk around it along with a firepit?"

"Ah, the _Iris Gem_." IF says, leaning back in her chair. "Well, you certainly have expensive tastes. I pity any woman who tries to get a gift for you."

"H-hey, it's just an example, okay? It's not like the only coffee I'd drink that wasn't from my shop would be from there."

"I know, I know, haha. You're pretty defensive about it, though."

"Er, I guess I am. I can't exactly help it, though. My shop is something I take a lot of pride in and so is my loyalty to it."

"I never said it was a bad thing." IF says, giving me an encouraging grin.

"Sheesh…" I mumble, taking a breath to calm myself down. "I didn't need that so early in the morning."

"Sorry, sorry. I'll make it up to you. What stop are you getting off at?"

"Oh, ah, Virtua Forest."

IF nods. "Well, I'm conveniently getting off at the same stop. I'll get you breakfast at the station, okay?"

"You don't have to, you know."

"I know, but still. You got all bothered about it, so I feel a little bad. Besides, consider it payback for the muffins."

I can't help but smile a little bit. "Okay, I guess I can take that, then. Were they any help throughout the week, by the way?"

"Aside from the occasional teasing, they were a good pick me up. Maybe I'll have to order another six pack from you again."

"Just let me know, and I'll prepare it."

"Thanks, Elliot."

The train ride is fairly silent after that, as we just hear the train rolling over the tracks. The sleek city-scape eventually turns into a lush, green forest. Occasionally, IF and I will make a bit of small talk, but I think for the most part we kind of just want to take a nap, or at least just have some peace and quiet on the ride.

We pass by Monster Cave Station, and eventually…

" _Approaching Virtua Forest Station."_

I get up from my seat, stretching and craning my neck before adjusting my tie. IF does the same, jiggling her arms around to wake them up. I then grab my briefcase as we go towards the doors, holding onto the standing poles even if we're in no rush to get out of the train as there's no one really here.

The train slowly comes to a halt and the doors open up. The train station is of course, just as empty as the train. IF and I step off onto the concrete platform and begin walking for the exit, with IF looking around for something…?

"Something wrong?" I ask, with IF shaking her head.

"No, it's just that, you know, there's no restaurants or anything. Even a food stall would be nice."

"It is a bit remote out here, so I guess that's why. It's not like you have to do it now, though. Maybe next weekend?"

"Alright, I guess that works, too." IF says as we fully exit the station, hitting the dirt path. "Which way are you heading?"

"Well, I'm taking the scenic path since I don't come out very often, so I'll be heading that way." I say, pointing down the path to the right.

"Oh. Well, I'm heading the other way."

"Ah, that's a bit unfortunate. Maybe we'll catch each other here later?"

"Maybe." IF says, with a small smile. "Well, don't get lost."

"I should be saying that to you."

The two of us part ways, waving before falling out of sight. Of course, I'm not concerned about IF getting lost. It's not like this place has a complex enough path to actually get anyone lost, since the pathways are really just a big loop. Plus, the forest isn't that dense, and it's always easy to find your way back.

As usual, the walk is incredibly quiet. I'm used to making this walk alone, although I wouldn't mind the company…

I shake my head, knowing that IF probably has better things to do. Besides, this is a personal thing of mine. It wouldn't be right to drag her along just because it's a tiny bit lonely. She has her own life to live and her own things to do.

Though, it's not like I only make this trip yearly. I come out here for a few occasions, like the old owner's birthday, the day _Lapin House_ was originally created, and generally holidays when I can, although for the most part I visit my parents or friends instead. Er, well, rather I take the day off and they come to me. It's just a little easier that way, I guess. Having a cafe does make it easy to host them, too.

"Although really, maybe I should loosen up…"

I say that to no one in particular as I loosen my tie, continuing to walk along the path. He's probably going to tell me to stop dressing so fancily for meeting him, but it's just something nice to do. Besides, it's an homage to the older uniform that I used to dress in for the job, back when I wasn't in charge.

I continue to stew in my own thoughts for about forty or so minutes, eventually coming to a small, light grey painted single story house, with a short stone path leading up to it. In the backyard there's a hothouse for growing plants, and the front yard of the house has a small wooden picnic table.

Walking up the path, I then knock on the oak door, using the golden metal knocked in the center of the door. There's a few seconds of wait time before it swings open, revealing a simple interior. But, the most important part is the person standing at the door.

"Good morning, Gregory." I say, offering a smile.

The far older man, clearly greying in all places, although his face could still pass for early fifties with barely any wrinkles, gives me an amused snort as he turns around with the help of a black, wooden cane. He's dressed in a fashion similar to my own, though he pulls it off much better due to having the posture and sophisticated air around him. Plus, the tan coat probably helps with that.

"Morning, Elliot." He says as I let myself in, closing the door behind us and taking off my shoes. "You know, you don't have to come out here."

"You say that all the time, but I want to."

"Then at least dress comfortably."

"I'll give it some thought." I say, walking further into the house. After the landing is a simple living room and dining room, as there isn't really a wall to distinguish them. It's almost like a studio apartment, really. Even the kitchen is only separated by a countertop that forms a distinct barrier between it and the rest of the floor, although the bedroom is clearly walled off.

"So, you get yourself a girlfriend, yet? You and Melanie used to be the sweetest thing."

"No, still single, and not really looking. I have the shop to look after."

"Hire another two people then, and get out of the house." He says, giving me a friendly ribbing. "You're only young once."

"I've got time, and I'm meeting new people, alright?"

I put my suitcase onto the living room table, sitting down on the couch as Gregory goes off back to the kitchen, where I can already smell freshly brewed coffee.

"Though, you knew I was coming?"

"You have a schedule." He comments back, his voice not strained at all despite his age. Still has that distinct sharpness to it. "It wasn't hard to predict you'd be here around this time."

"Oh, I see." I say, opening up the suitcase, where my gift is still inside, face down.

Despite having to use a cane, with all of his experience, Gregory comes over and puts the tray that holds two cups of coffee on the table before sitting down.

"So, what's in there? It's not like you to bring gifts."

I can't help but smile as I take out the small wooden frame, continuing to hold it face down so he can't see the picture. I then hold it out to him and he takes it, giving me a curious look before flipping it over.

"G-greory, are you okay?!" I ask as he drops it, the frame clattering on the wooden floor.

"I'm fine, just… this is a lot to take in."

"I thought you'd say it was faked, to be honest."

"Bah," He says as I pick up the frame, which inside has a copy of a picture with me and the goddesses at the cafe, and put it on the table. "You're too honest, anyways. If it was coming from you, it had to be truthful. Terrible liar, you are."

"I see. I'm so glad you trust me."

"I watched over your work for a few years, of course I know. There's something else in your case, though."

"Ah, I made a second one, so you could put it with, you know…"

"You don't have to beat around the bush, Elliot. But, I'm thankful you thought of Marianne." He says, getting up. "I'll go put it out on her grave. I'm sure she'd be happy to know the cafe has come so far."

I nod quietly as I hand him the second copy, watching him go out the back door. I don't know too much about her, but I at least know a bit of the history of the shop regarding her. To say she had an effect on the shop is… a bit of an understatement, I think.

As I'm waiting around for him to come back, I hear a knock on the door.

"Hey, Gregory, not to interrupt, someone's at the door!" I call out, hoping I'm not disturbing him.

"Can you get it? I'll be out in just a second."

"Got it, got it." I say, getting up and going to the door.

I open it, giving my usual customer service smile. "Hi, how can I he—IF?"

"Elliot?" IF asks, clearly not expecting me. "What are… you doing here?"

"I could say the same for you."

"I'm just here to report I finished the job to the client…?"

"Ah, so you're done with that?" Gregory asks as I step to the side, letting him face IF. "I'll let the Guild know, so you can pick up your reward. They didn't give you any trouble, did they?"

"Not at all, and thank you."

"Well, Elliot?"

"Huh? What's up, Gregory?"

"Why don't you two have a seat outside? I'm sure she'd like to go back home as she's done here, so I'll get you both something for the road."

"Oh, you really don't have to—" IF says, but Gregory already isn't listening and is going off into the kitchen.

"Yeah, uh, probably just… best to go with it." I say, sighing. I know this behavior from him, after all. Kind of a meddling old man.

I then grab my now-empty suitcase, put my shoes on, and lead IF over to the picnic table outside, where we sit down.

"So, is that…?"

"Yeah, he's the previous owner of _Lapin House._ " I say, looking out at the road. "He's retired, now, though. How was your mission?"

"Nothing major. Not even a scratch." IF says with a small triumphant fist pump. How uncharacteristic of her, but I guess she is a little relaxed now. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything important, though."

"No, nothing was really going on. He was just putting my present out by um, his late wife's grave."

"Oh."

The mood clearly takes a turn for the more downtrodden as IF's posture seems to slump a little bit.

"You don't have to get sad about it."

"Well, it's still just sad hearing about things like that."

"I guess so. But, on a happier note, I'm sure she'd be happy about the state of the shop."

IF raises an eyebrow at this, so I continue with my explanation.

"Ah, well, I don't know too much, I have to admit, but she apparently had an influence in _Lapin House_ opening up in Planeptune."

"I see. Well, I guess I should thank her for having such a nice place for my late night coffee needs."

I can't help but smile at this, which in turn, seems to cause IF to at least grin back. Though, I immediately pick up on the door opening, where Gregory is chuckling as he walks over. He holds out a small cardboard drink holder, where there are two cups of coffee and a small paper bag tucked into one of the holders.

"Thanks, Gregory."

"Don't mention it, Elliot. Thank you for coming out today, and thank you for the gift. I'm sure Marianne would be happy as well."

"Well, thank _you_ for everything, Gregory. I wouldn't have made it at all without you."

He gives another amused snort as I take the drink holder, which I'm surprised he still keeps some of these lying around. It's not like he runs a coffee shop out here.

"Make sure…" He looks to IF, with the latter understanding what he's asking.

"IF."

"...that IF gets home safely."

"I'll do my best, although I think she's probably the one going to be making sure I get home safely." I say, earning an eye roll from him.

"And maybe you should find some time to enroll in a martial arts class."

"Maybe." I say with a shrug. "It was nice seeing you again."

"It was good seeing you again as well, even if our time was short. Don't get into too much trouble, you hear? You've got a reputation now, considering that the CPUs visited the cafe. Can't be goofing off anymore."

"Oh don't worry, I already know about the eyes watching me. I'll tell you about it over the phone, since you seem so eager to get rid of me."

Gregory gives a laugh as he turns around and starts walking back into his house, closing the door behind him. IF and I then start walking down the path back to the train station.

"He probably got the wrong idea." IF mumbles.

"Nah, he didn't." I say as we go along.

"Really?"

"Mhm. We've worked together for long enough that he can tell. Plus, I told him I don't have a girlfriend, and he knows I'm a bad liar."

IF laughs, leading me to roll my eyes.

"Besides, if he thought you were my girlfriend, he'd be a lot more obnoxious about it, since he does like to meddle. Back when I was dating a girl in high school, he'd constantly tell me to leave fifteen minutes early so I could go pick her up from her after school job or something like that, or just so 'happen' to have leftovers of her favorite pastry. Granted, he was real tough on me outside of that, but still."

IF snickers at that. "I guess he was a better romantic than you."

"Oh wow, that one actually kind of hurts." I say, earning another chuckle from IF. "Besides, I can be an okay romantic, I think."

"Right. So, when's your date with Kei, then? I'll be sure to ask her how romantic you are from her."

"Oh buzz off, I'm not taking Kei on a date, and I'm not even interested in her."

IF laughs as she takes one of the coffees from the drink holder. "I know, just teasing. Although it _would_ get Neptune off my back…"

"She's still bugging you?" I ask, feeling a bit guilty.

"On occasion. It's nothing like the first few days, but it happens. Nothing you really need to concern yourself about."

"Alright."

"Anyways, anything else you've got planned for the weekend?"

"Not really. I was hoping to stay for a bit longer, but Gregory shooed me out of the house since you were there. He keeps saying I have to get out a little more, you know, while I'm still young. Settle down with someone early or something."

"I've got Kei's number."

IF laughs as I give her a light elbow to the ribs.

"You know, I think I understand why Neptune enjoys it so much." IF says as we get back to the station, where we both slide in our fare cards to get access to the actual platform area for the train.

I only grumble at this, knowing there's no one I can really tease IF about in return.

"Gee, thanks for taking it out on me. Though I guess next time I should bring your lack of a life outside work up to Gregory, since there's no one else in your life other than work, apparently."

"Hey, I've got friends like Compa and Neptune, at least."

"And who else, Bob from Accounting?"

IF rolls her eyes at this, then turns to look towards the tracks. "It's… well, I'll find someone too, eventually. Probably when I'm not in this field anymore."

"I can imagine the strain that'd put on a relationship."

IF nods before wagging a finger at me. "But you, on the other hand, have no such excuse."

"Oh, way to turn it back onto me, thanks." I say, with IF smiling afterwards. "But you know, I'm sure the guy you'd pair up with would understand."

I see IF glance away, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Hey, you can't just… ah, well... thanks, Elliot."

Giving a small laugh to smooth things over, I decide to change the subject. "But what, should we go on one of those singles adventures together? Could be kind of fun."

IF rolls her eyes, but looks happy for the topic change. "Does it fit into your budget?"

"I can make it fit into my budget."

"Well, I guess I wouldn't mind going along, then. Compa's tried to bring me on them before, but uh, she always gets a lot of attention and I have to step in sometimes, so we stopped kind of going altogether."

"Ah…" Yeah, I can see that with how Compa is. "Well, I guarantee that I won't bring as much attention as Compa, so everyone will be free to hover around you all they'd like."

IF's response is cut off with a _"Train approaching"_ coming from the PA, but I catch a small grin on her face.

"IF?"

"It's nothing, Elliot." She says as the train comes to a stop in front of us, then opens the door.

"You know, it's never nothing when people say that." I mutter, getting on the train after her. "At least just tell me you were making a snippy comment."

"You watch too much TV. There's a chance it really is nothing, it's not like I'm some soap opera character who's hiding her rare and incurable unnamed disease until it's too late."

"You don't have a rare and incurable disease though, right?"

IF gives me a _"You have got to be kidding me"_ look, and I simply glance away, though I hear her chuckle as she takes a seat. I sit down across from her, where we start chatting as the train doors close and take us back towards the city. Inside the bags that were in the drink holder were some pastries, which we share on the trip.

It doesn't seem to take very long to get back, as we soon find that our stop is already here, and get off the train.

"Ahhhh, well, guess I'll go to the guild, report in, and then go home for the day." IF says, stretching while I throw out our trash.

"I think I'll just go take a walk, then head back home."

"Alright. See you on Monday?"

I nod. "See you on Monday, IF. And don't overwork yourself as soon as you get back!"

She waves me off as we part ways, heading to opposite exits of the station. All in all, it seems like a fairly relaxing weekend. I just hope that it stays that way, even with this whole expo coming up, or something.

Of course, my dreams of that were dashed as I reached the shop, where I found a familiar black haired goddess tapping her feet rather impatiently, her arms crossed.

Oh boy, I only wonder what it could be…

* * *

 **Teehee. A bit of a set up for next chapter, really. I thought it might be nice to explore a tiny bit of the backstory of the shop. Nothing really deep just yet, but enough to hint at a few things such as why the coffee shop is in Planeptune (as it's come up a few times from other character it's more likely to be found in Lastation) and the people behind it.**

 **Originally I was fighting between two paths where IF either stayed at Gregory's for a bit or they just left, in a more ship-tastic way, but I realized that nah, it'd probably be better if Gregory didn't bother them about it. It also kind of helped set up their more friendship talk about eventually finding someone to settle down, as the focus wasn't so much on their relationship with each other.**

 **Really, much more relaxing that way lol As much as I like to do ship teasing, at the same time, I think it does feel a little better paced to have them still acting as strong friends at this point, as in-story time-wise, the idea of "being in a relationship with each other" has only recently entered their minds via the CPUs bugging them about it. Not to say that they'd end up together, but you know, just sort of what's going through their minds.**

 **Next chapter has a bit more Noire into it. I kind of like this ability to focus on characters individually for small snippets, with IF being used kind of like a breather, in that I can try to write a character who I'm not** _ **too**_ **sure I'm getting write, but then I can fall back on IF and Elliot's dynamic as familiar territory to ground myself. Anyways, let me know what you all think, and catch you next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:** A Whole New World

* * *

"Er, sorry to make you wait a long time."

I awkwardly apologize as I put my suitcase on the counter, slightly loosening my tie as I then move around to the other side.

"And ah, I don't really have any coffee on hand, as this was my day off."

"That's okay." Lady Noire says, putting the cardboard box on the counter. "Here."

"Huh?" I ask, unsure if I should reach for the box. "Um, what is it?"

"Well, you could open it."

I then hastily do so, finding the latest of Planeptune's gaming handhelds in it. Whoa, this is…

Lady Noire turns her head away. "I figured I would do Neptune a favor so she'll have to owe me something. You've been featured on a few tabloids recently—"

"Still?!"

"They need _something_ to latch onto, and it wouldn't do well for Neptune's image if you didn't at least own her console."

"Ah, I guess that's a bit true…"

The paparazzi and news cycle about the goddesses must really be stressful. I couldn't even imagine that someone might try to take a shot at the goddess just because a place they visited didn't even have their console. But I guess when you need something to generate drama, huh…

"Well, I appreciate the gift, Lady Noire. I'll be sure to treasure it." I say, bowing my head.

"There's still more."

I tilt my head before looking into the box, finding a game inside. Four Goddesses Online?

"Oh, you'll need an internet connection to play it, though." Lady Noire says as I take it out of the box. "I can walk you through it."

"A-ah, I'd be most grateful."

"You can drop the formality thing, too. Didn't I tell you that last time?" She says as I turn the console on. Oh, it's already charged, too? Well, I guess the console box itself was already opened, so maybe Lady Noire charged it before coming here.

"Right, sorry. It's just, um, a habit with very important clients." I say, trying to hastily explain myself. I still can't help but be nervous around her. "Oh, the date's already set and everything."

"All that's left to do is connect to the internet and then load the game in."

"Oh, thank you." I say, with Noire muttering something as she looks away. "Alright, let me just connect to the wifi… type in the connection information… okay, done."

"Put the game card in, it'll install it, and then open it and update it."

I nod quietly, following Lady Noire's instructions. There's a lot of space on the storage card that's also in this console, so I don't have to worry about the install size. After I open up the game, it starts to update, though it offers me the ability to make my account if I don't have one in the meantime.

"Yep, take that option. You'll just need to put in an email and a password for it."

"Got it. Thank you again, Lady Noire."

"You really haven't played online games before, huh…?"

"Ahaha, well, I guess I had other things to do be doing. I wasn't the greatest in school, either, so well… had to work hard at it, plus I was already working at this shop."

"I see. It's not too difficult from here. Once you get updated, just log in and make your character."

I nod again.

"There should be an option to add a friend as well. There's a person in my guild who likes to help new players, so send a friend request to CostumerSeven, spelled out, not the number seven."

"Oh, should I tell you my name, then?"

"A-ah, yes, you should. I'll tell them to expect you."

"Mhm. Um, wait, should it be my username or the name of the character I'll make? Er, I assume you make a character, so…"

"Friends are tied to your account username, so the account username should be fine."

"Ah, then tell them to expect one from CoffeeHound47. With the numbers, not spelled out, and um, capital C and H for each word."

You know, I expected to see a smile, as IF normally would give me one there along with an eyeroll, but Lady Noire is nonplussed about it. I guess it wasn't all too funny, anyways, though she does seem in a bit of a hurry to leave. She probably has a lot of work.

"Erm, are you sure I can't get you anything? If you don't mind waiting."

"Ah, well, I should probably get going before Kei starts getting concerned. Sorry to intrude on your day off, but I'll find a way to make it up to you."

"You don't have to, this is already more than enough. Thank you again, Lady Noire."

I move to give a small bow, but catch myself before I go through with it. Even Lady Noire seems a bit amused that I managed to stop myself from being too formal this time, giving a small grin as she waves goodbye. I lock up after her and then take the console to my room, plopping down on my bed.

Well, normally I don't really play these games, but Lady Noire went out of her way to get this to me, even if it's indirectly helping Lady Neptune. I can at least humor her.

Though it is a really roundabout way of doing things. I suppose it makes sense, considering how we talked about how I don't really play games, and her curiosity seemed piqued. She's even managed to rope in a friend to show me the ropes.

I probably shouldn't mention Lady Noire online, though. People might think I'm crazy obsessed with her if I talk about how she gave me the game or something.

Regardless, I log into the game and go through character creation. I don't really like doing fanciful things, so I make a fairly mundane looking character. I think the most exotic thing he has is purple eyes. I decided to play a Priest, since they're mostly about supporting people, and I don't really like playing on the front lines. I couldn't really find a long range character, either.

"Wow, these games are really pretty these days…" I mutter as the opening cutscene plays. Maybe I've just been missing out, but it's almost like I'm watching something I'd expect to see in the movie theatre with how realistic it looks. "And I can see that the goddess' definitely were heavily drawn from in the design…"

I pay rapt attention to the entire thing and then am brought into the starting area for the tutorial. Before doing any of the starting quests, though, I send a friend request to Noire's contact.

To my surprise, it's accepted almost instantly, and I get a private message back right away.

" _Noire's friend, right?"_

I use the touch screen of the console to write back.

" _I wasn't sure if I should bring it up, but yes."_

" _It's fine. Just do the starting quests, I'll make my way over to the starting town."_

" _Okay, thanks again."_

It takes a few minutes to grasp the controls, but eventually I start to get the hang of it. It is pretty tough being a healer, I guess. I hope I can at least find someone to help with that.

I notice on the text chat log on the screen someone saying in the chat tagged as [Local], "Wow, it's scary how she predicted you'd play a priest."

The name of the character saying it is simply Costumer. It's a guy, who looks to be using some really impressive gear. I don't know if it is, but it just looks fancy, from all the special lighting effects and the shiny color schemes. I think it might be the Dark Knight class.

I quickly write back as my character, Stratos (coming up with name that wasn't too mundane but not too extravagant was hard). "Did she really say that?"

"Yep. Oh, let me invite you to a party, that way we can use the party chat."

After that, he walks me through a lot of the game's basics, and even helped me get through the first dungeon, which I'm fairly sure I would've died in if I had tried to tackle it myself.

"When you heal, it actually attracts enemies' attention, so don't heal all the time. That way, the enemies stay attacking me. Time your heals."

"Got it."

"Okay, I'm going to switch characters. Just wait back at the starting area, okay?"

I do as I'm told and go back to the starting area, where after twenty minutes, another person named Costumer comes up to me. I get another private message as well.

" _Hey, it's still me. I use the same name for all of my characters since you can do that."_

" _Oh, I see."_

" _Anyways, it's more fun this way."_

I then notice his character doesn't have on any of the fancy gear. In fact, it looks like he's using the same gear level that I do. I'm fairly sure that starting equipment was still also for the Dark Knight.

" _I made a new character so we can progress together. It'll be more fun than if I just carry you through it all."_

Well, that was nice of him. I can see why Noire would direct him to me. It does feel kind of nice to have someone like this in the game. I really ought to thank her, as she's really gone out of her way for me…

* * *

"And well, that's what I spent most of my weekend doi—IF?"

Somehow, my rather heartfelt (or at least, I think it's heartfelt) tale of learning to like this kind of game because someone is helping me with it and generally being there as a seeming friend seems to have made IF start laughing.

It's not like Costumer is the only person I play with. I've made a few other acquaintances and even one of my friends from high school still plays. He was surprised to find out I play it, so I had to lie about how Lady Noire told me to play it. But it's a lot easier when I don't have to show myself getting nervous and twitching over lying.

She waves me off, though she's still laughing like someone just really struck her funnybone. I'd say it'd attract attention if it wasn't late at night, so no one's really here anyways.

"Oh, oh, okay, I'm okay now." IF says, although I really don't think she is. "Okay, I'm fine, Elliot. Stop giving me that look that says you doubt me."

"I don't think I've ever seen you laugh that hard before." I say, pushing her order, a latte with a small hint of vanilla and a slice of apple pie, in front of her.

"It's just… you don't find it a _bit_ suspicious?" IF asks as she stirs her coffee around, giving me an all-too-wide smile. "Noire gives you a console, a game, and a friend to play with."

"And…?"

"The thought hasn't even crossed your mind that _maybe_ it's Noire posing as 'Costumer'?"

I tilt my head in slight confusion. "If she was really so bent on playing with me, wouldn't she just give me her actual username?"

IF looks like she's ready to burst out laughing, which she does a few seconds later. While it's an improvement from her somewhat exhausted expression when she came in earlier tonight, I do feel it's slightly at my expense.

"Okay, okay, you have managed to convince me that Costumer is not Noire."

"I get the feeling you don't actually believe that."

"It's just that, well, I guess it'd be a very Noire thing to do. She's very business like and direct, just like Kei when it comes to work, but Noire… well, she's not exactly good at expressing herself to people."

"Really? She comes off as so confident, though." I say back, pouring myself a cup of coffee.

"Well, that's a bad way to put it. It's more that… Noire has a hard time being honest with herself? Yeah, that's a better way. I can't imagine what brought it on, though. Seems a little too active on her part." IF leans in, smiling. "Unless you're secretly a ladykiller, of course. Must've said something that really got her gunning for you."

"Of course not! I've never done anything of the sort!" I say, immediately going into denial. There's absolutely nothing I've said to her that could be interpreted as flirting! I've been nothing but professional with her! The most I did was let her know I wasn't really into gaming since I didn't really have anyone to play with, is all.

"I know, I know. You'd probably have a heart attack before you tried to flirt with one of them." IF says, leaning back.

I let out a deep sigh, trying to get my heartbeat back to a relatively normal rate. I think even the _idea_ of flirting with any of the CPUs is more than enough to give me a heart attack.

"The very thought fills me with an indescribable dread."

"Haha. But still, I'm glad you've found a hobby, at least. I guess you could do worse than playing games in your free time."

"Maybe. Although that means I now get the right to lecture you about taking a break and getting a hobby."

IF scowls at this before starting on her apple pie, electing not to comment.

"I'll make it a habit to ask you what you've tried, then."

"This is revenge for teasing you about Kei, isn't it?"

"You know, I think I can understand why you enjoyed it so much."

"Oh, now _that_ is just unnecessary." IF fires back, pointing a very accusatory fork towards me. I only laugh as she glumly goes back to eating her pie.

The rest of the night goes by without much incident, although IF does take a few pastries to go before I close up shop. Since I work late and get up early, I'm really only able to log in for the daily rewards before going off to bed. It'll be only on weekends or holidays that I get a chance to play. Which is fine with me. It's not like I need to play every day, not when I love the shop so much. They do say if you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life, and well, that does apply to me.

Two weeks or so go by. Costumer and I occasionally chitchat for a few minutes when I log-in for my daily rewards before bed, but he seems to be pretty understanding that I can only play on the weekends.

"Ah, good evening, IF—" I say as I hear the door open in the late evening, just when she'd arrive.

Except of course, it's not IF. I can instantly feel my back straighten up as I see it was actually Lady Neptune who arrived.

"Er, my apologies, Lady Neptune." I say, giving a small bow. "I mistook you for IF, as she's usually here around this ti—"

"I know, I know!" She says in that usual happy tone she's known for. "Geez, didn't I tell you to drop the formal thing? It's really boring to listen to all the time~"

"Ah, yes, you did. My apo—" Instead of the harsh gaze I'm expecting, I only see her give an exaggerated and clearly jovial eye roll as she leaps up and plops herself in a chair at the counter. "Sorry. What can I get you tonight, Lady Neptune?"

"Three servings of your finest pudding!"

"Ah, coming right up, Lady Neptune."

I reach over to the refrigerator and pull out three of the cups of the pudding, putting them on a large platter along with a spoon, and placing it down in front of her on the counter. She hands me her card as payment, which I quickly process and return to her.

"Mhmm, still good as when I first had it."

"Thank you, Lady Neptune."

I hear her spoon being set back down on the plate with a slight _clink_ and can't help but stiffen a bit as she gives me an all-too-big-to-be-good smile. I try to suppress a gulp but fail and suddenly feel that my collar is a little too tight despite leaving the top button undone.

"So…"

"S-so, Lady Neptune?"

She leans forward on the counter, resting her head on her hands, with her elbows on the table as support. "Have you talked to Noire, recently?"

"Er, only once, Lady Neptune. May I ask why?"

"Well, it's just that Noire hasn't been playing with us recently. Usually she plays daily with us, but there's this strange time gap where she logs off for no good reason, maybe twenty minutes or so, and then returns. And on the weekends, she sometimes doesn't even log on to play with us."

I tilt my head. "And… what does that have to do with me?"

Part of me—oh who am I kidding, _all_ of me regrets asking that question as Lady Neptune's smile turns incredibly cat-like as she leans even more forward. I feel my survival instincts telling me, for some reason, to take a step back, but I manage to root myself in place.

"I heard a rumor that Noire visited you and gave you a game console."

I make a mental note to myself to bug IF about this later.

" _And_ introduced you to Four Goddesses Online."

"Ah, yes, she did." I say very quietly, unsure of what she's getting at.

"Have you played with Noire?"

I shake my head 'no', feeling much more confident about this response. "No, Lady Neptune. Lady Noire didn't even give me her username."

I see Lady Neptune suddenly look very disappointed, but something seems to bring that spark back into her.

"But you are still playing Four Goddesses Online, right?" She asks, her smile getting wider with every word.

"Yes…?" I cautiously answer back, very unsure where this is going.

Her smile continues to grow to the point part of me may or may not be fearing for my safety. "Are you a solo player?"

"Ah, no. I have a few friends who also play, so I'm usually in a party."

"Any usual party members that always join you?"

"Um, I think the only one who usually is with me is a guy named Costumer."

I nearly jump in place as Neptune suddenly breaks out into snickers, then all out laughter, to the point she's almost clutching her sides.

She eventually recovers, returning to that very wide smile. "I _see…_ Hey, can you give your username, then?"

"Huh? Oh, um, sure. My username is CoffeeHound47. Capital C, H, and numbers, not spelled out."

"Huhu, okay. Maybe we'll play together sometime." She says with a less worrying grin before going back to eating her pudding.

I can't help but feel an impending sense of doom as she continues to eat her pudding. It shouldn't hurt to at least let her know about who I am in the game.

"Ah, well, I am a new player, so I'm very low level. I'm sure you'll prefer having more experienced players." I say, a bit nervous about the prospect of playing with Lady Neptune. If I know that Lady Neptune is in the party, I feel like my performance will suffer out of sheer nervousness. I wouldn't want to mess up around her.

"I'm sure you'll do fine~ Besides, if you only just started, it's okay to make mistakes. Though, you only _just_ started?"

"Er, forgive me, Lady Neptune. I wasn't exactly much of a gamer. I had a lot of work in high school, a relationship, and I wasn't at the best at school. Gaming just wasn't something I had time for. And with the shop, well, I love it so much I didn't even think about playing games."

"Hmm, better late than never, right? That's my motto on things!" She says with a bright smile. I feel so at ease when seeing it, unlike the other smiles tonight. Well, that's Lady Neptune for you. Whenever she appears on TV or anything, everything just seems so alive and joyous around her.

I can't help but grin back as I go over to get a glass of apple juice for her, putting it down next to her plate.

Lady Neptune looks up, hearing the glass landing on the counter. "Hm?"

"I thought you'd need something to go down with the pudding, Lady Neptune. It isn't too much of a bother, so please accept it."

"Huhu, are you trying to make me fall, too?"

"Hm? I don't understand, Lady Neptune." I ask back, in legitimate confusion. She only laughs in response, leaving me still very confused, but I suppose that maybe it's just a joke for Lady Neptune.

The rest of the evening is rather tense for me, considering how I'm pretty much on wait for Lady Neptune, who leaves after finishing her pudding with a loud wave and farewell. After I close up shop, I head back up to my room and do my usual daily log-in after an evening shower.

A message from Costumer comes in almost immediately.

" _Hey, you're on a little later tonight."_

" _Sorry, work ran a little late. Someone stayed until closing time."_

" _Oh. Sorry to hear that."_

" _No, it's fine. I enjoy talking to people, anyways."_

" _You're just here to do your daily log-in, right?"_

" _Yep. Sorry I can't play so often."_

" _It's all right. We all have work to do, right?"_

" _Mhm. Do you have anything planned for this weekend? If you're free, we can try taking on that temple we weren't able to beat last time."_

" _I'll make sure I'm free, then."_

" _Hey, you have guild mates on your other character that need you, right? Don't be bogged down so much by me."_

" _It's nostalgic, though. I remember when I had difficulty with those dungeons, so it's fun to go back to basics."_

" _If you insist. Anyways, I'm logging off now."_

" _Okay. Good night."_

" _Good night."_

Before I log off, though, I notice a friend request from a user named Purple Heart. I've never played with someone who had that username before, but I guess maybe that was Lady Neptune's account. It also has different font, maybe to signify that it's the real deal, or maybe they anticipated people trying to impersonate the goddesses and locked down those usernames. Regardless, I decide to accept it before logging off and going to bed, thinking nothing more of it.

* * *

IF of course, has a laugh over that the next evening, when I tell her about everything that's going on.

"I still don't get what's so funny about the situation."

"It's just… it'll play out, okay?" IF says with a big smile on her face. "And just so you know, I'm rooting for you."

"What does that even mean?"

"Well, it means that I won't be teasing you about Kei anymore."

I fail to see the connection, but I guess IF knows more about the goddesses than I do. They've only recently really had a presence in my lives while IF has apparently worked with them for a long time.

"Ha… well, what's new with you?"

"Oh, same old, same old." IF says, stretching her arms. "More expo planning, telling people what their jobs are going to be, the like."

"Oh yeah, that's in about two to three months or so, huh? I'm surprised the planning is just taking place now."

"Well, it's not like you can plan too far ahead, right? It's not like every company knew what they wanted to showcase a year ago."

"I suppose that's true." I say as I gesture at IF's cup. "Refill? On the house."

"Oh, thank you."

I refill IF's cup as she sighs.

"Something up?"

"No, just… we're drawing lots for the guard shifts for the opening gala. I'm not looking forward to it." She says as I finish, putting the pot off to the side.

"Best of luck."

"Haha, thanks. As long as I don't get the rear entrance guard, I think it should be fine. That's easily the most boring of them."

"Well, if you do get it, I'll call a day off so I can come do deliveries for you."

She rolls her eyes, but smiles. "You don't have to go so far. But the thought is appreciated. Although my coworkers have been telling me to accept Neptune's invitation."

"Hm?"

"The goddesses usually have someone accompany them, is all. Nep usually has Compa and I show up, Noire usually brings along Kei, Blanc brings along Financier—"

"Financier?" I ask, wondering if that's like, a codename or something.

"Er, it's a weird name, but just go with it, alright?"

"Ah, alright."

"And Vert brings along Chika. Uh, they're pretty much Kei's equivalent to those two, in case you're wondering."

"Hmm, alright. I could get out of it if I took Nep's invitation, since no one would really stop me, but it'd make me feel bad if I left them out to dry on one of the busiest events of the year."

"Um… I think you should go."

I nearly swallow when IF looks at me. I didn't mean to say that so quickly, it kind of just stumbled out.

"It's just, well… you've earned it. I've heard all about your work, so well, whatever it means from me, I think you should take the chance. Or if you'd feel bad, at least split your time. Maybe half of it you can enjoy with Lady Neptune, and the other half you can do your work." I say, quickly spitting out words while trying not to sound stupid.

IF just smiles as she raises a hand to stop me. "I get it, I get it. Thanks. I mean, it's not like the gala's really all that relaxing, anyways."

"What do you do there?"

"Oh, it's all just a big press thing, you know. Bigwigs and reporters showing up in suits and dresses, meeting the goddesses, things like that. Just a big thing for all the heads and for anyone who is anyone in the gaming industry, makes them look all nice and neat, the like. If you want a good image, just think of it as a big ball, really."

"So you have to dance?"

"Well, they do occasionally have a dance there. While I haven't confirmed it myself, I'm _fairly_ certain it's Vert who keeps secretly organizing things to allow for these dances to happen."

"I'm surprised you haven't been able to confirm that."

"Well, it only happens once a year, and frankly Vert can be pretty crafty sometimes…" IF mumbles, taking another sip of her coffee. "So it's not like it's easy to prove anything. I guess it is harmless, but it does catch everyone off guard sometimes. Maybe I should expect it this year."

"Going to take dancing lessons, I take it?"

"Haha, maybe. I should ask Blanc, she probably knows how to dance. Or at least she's bound to have a book on it."

With that, IF finishes her coffee and stretches her arms.

"Done for the night?"

"Yep. I think I'll head back home now. Thanks for everything tonight, Elliot."

I only smile as I take her coffee cup and platter off the counter, ready to put it into the sink. "It was my pleasure, IF."

"Have fun playing with Noire."

"For the last time, Costumer is _not_ Lady Noire!" I call back as IF leaves. As I put the dishes into the sink, I can hear her laughing as the door closes. Well, it is Saturday tonight, so I can take it a little easier on my sleep for tomorrow.

Although, maybe I could get in touch with Compa. I'm sure with a bit of a push, IF might decide to take Lady Neptune's invitation. She really could use a day off, after all, and even that weekend on the train, she was still running a job _and_ she didn't do anything after getting back from it. A dedicated day of relaxation might help.

Well, I guess I'll see what I can do…

* * *

 **Alrighty, there we go. I don't think who Costumer is will be a surprise to anyone.**

 **I thought I might start branching out to the other characters, though I like having IF as a good reaction character, in that Elliot always goes back to her for advice when dealing with these new people in his life.**

 **Noire offering/pushing on a console to him seemed like a very** _ **Noire**_ **thing to do, all the while saying it was for Neptune's sake. This was the follow-up to the lines in Chapter 6 where she and Elliot talk about why he doesn't game as he doesn't have friends to play with. I don't think I'm going to go full obligatory-tsundere, but I liked relaxing that character trait to be something more akin to "just not good at being honest with what she wants", while also still keeping some of that Lonely Heart feeling to her. Elliot of course, doesn't make the connection with Costumer because to him, the goddesses have no reason to deceive him.**

 **I don't have too much else to say other than that I did enjoy writing this one. The IF segments are always fun since it's pretty much IF teasing Elliot even though she knows he's too timid to actually do anything, and I do enjoy writing the friendship segments (although there seemingly are a lot of you who want them to pair up, haha). Anyways, let me know what you all think, and I'll catch you guys next chapter.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:** The Unmasking

* * *

It's Sunday afternoon, meaning normally I would be restocking or trying out a new pastry recipe, but it seems that the goddesses had other plans. Well, the goddesses minus one Lady Noire, who apparently had said she was busy with something.

Technically I was closed anyways as I've shifted my hours around on Sundays to deal with the traffic patterns I've been seeing, so it's not really a bother, anyways. I did have some drinks lying around, but since they were coming in outside of normal hours, they brought their own stuff, which I suppose is all right.

I'm not really in any position to say no to them either, but well, I suppose it's nice to have them here. Also, I can ask Lady Neptune about IF's invitation, so she can help IF take a day off.

I feel a bit bad though, as I'm playing Four Goddesses Online as they told me I could play with them. It makes me feel slightly uncomfortable to be on the wrong side of the counter and playing, but I suppose if they asked…

"Not bad." Lady Blanc says as I position my character to be able to heal Lady Neptune's character without attracting attention from the enemies.

"I had a good teacher, Lady Blanc." I say while moving away again.

"Watch out, that wall has adds, don't get too close."

"Thank you."

It's my first run of this mini-dungeon, so they're teaching me what to watch out for. It is somewhat comforting, although I messed up at the start since I was so nervous. Fortunately, I was able to make a recovery, and have been doing okay since.

We manage to make it through without much incident, except for the one time I panicked since Lady Neptune fell below half health, so I dropped the largest heal I had on her, attracting the boss to me. The others were able to make up for my mistake due to their skill, though. That, and well… their very advanced gear that made this dungeon a cakewalk.

"Shall we do another one?" Lady Vert asks.

I'm about to respond when I see a log-in notification. "Oh, um, sorry. A friend of mine just got on and we scheduled a dungeon run at Yiear Forest together. It shouldn't take too long, so maybe you can run something that's more along your level."

"Awwww…" I hear Lady Neptune say. "But it's no fun if we're missing one person."

"Sorry…"

"Now, now, Neptune. If Elliot has scheduled it with a _friend_ in advance, we can't get in the way. It would be rude of us."

I blink, wondering if her emphasis on the word friend was intentional. Regardless, I look back at my screen and see some messages from Costumer.

" _Ready for today's run?"_

" _Yep."_ I response. _"Do you think the two of us can take on Yiear Forest?"_

" _Usually it's the first four man that people run, but I think we can beat it if we take it slow."_

" _Got it. I'll try not to hold you back."_

" _Haha. Hey, you're a higher level than me now."_

" _Oh, I was on earlier and ran one of the mini-dungeons with some other people I know."_

" _Oh, I see."_

" _Sorry. Should I wait for you to catch up?"_

" _Hey, cut that out. It's not like you have to wait for me. When you reach a high enough level, I can always switch back to my original character."_

" _Alright. I'll meet you at the dungeon entrance?"_

" _Yep. See you in a bit."_

I look up, noticing the goddesses whispering among themselves. I try not to take notice of it while making my way over to the dungeon entrance. After about five minutes, I see Costumer walking up.

We exchange greetings, party up, and go into the dungeon.

"That's really weird, though." I hear Lady Neptune say as we enter the first room after buffing up. As usual, Costumer draws the enemies while I provide support. We're like a well-oiled machine at this point. "Noire usually is on around this time."

"Maybe she has work to do?" Lady Vert asks.

"It's not like Noire to be behind on work, though." Lady Blanc says as Costumer and I clear the first room. We heal up, rebuff up, and Costumer walks me through the next room's encounter.

"Maybe she's working on a costume."

"She'd go back to Lastation for that though, wouldn't she?"

"Ah, I just realized I forgot my spare power pack at the Bascillicomm. If you'll excuse me."

"Oh." I say, looking up from my console. "Would you like me to get you some coffee to go, Lady Vert?"

"That won't be necessary, but thank you for the offer." She says, getting up from her seat and leaving.

That leaves Neptune and Blanc, the former insisting talking about Noire's apparent hobby of making clothes and the latter saying it would be rude to talk about it here.

I try to ignore them as Costumer and I keep working through the dungeon. I make a few mistakes, mostly because my mind keeps drifting to the thought of Costumer actually being Noire. It's incredibly distracting.

" _Hey, is something up?"_

" _Sorry."_

" _Is everything okay over there? We can always do this another time."_

" _Er, there's just a few others here since we were playing together."_

" _Oh. Friends of yours? I didn't take you as the type to meet up off-line."_

" _You could say that?"_

" _You don't seem to sure about that?"_

" _Maybe acquaintances is more like it. I'm still a bit surprised they wanted to play all together, but…"_

" _Couldn't say no?"_

" _I'm a bit bad at saying that, yes."_

" _Well, as long as you're safe."_

" _Don't worry, I can trust them."_

" _If you say so. Are you sure I'm not interrupting?"_

" _We set up this run beforehand, so they're just doing their own thing. Don't worry about it, Costumer."_

" _Alright. Just the boss left, are you ready?"_

" _Yep. Let's do this."_

Costumer couldn't really be Noire, though, could she? I doubt Noire would want to play with me, anyways. I'm a completely brand new player and don't really have too many friends, and it's only because of Costumer that I even really come back to play. I doubt I would've played that much if it wasn't for having someone who was really friendly. Even if I've been able to reconnect with my friends, they're all still way more advanced than me, so without Costumer, it'd be a tiny bit lonely.

"And… okay! Um, if you want me to come back in, we're finished with our dungeon run." I say to the goddesses as now we're just in the process of picking and choosing between the drops we got. "But ah, please don't feel like you need to include me in the group—"

I'm interrupted by half-pout from Lady Neptune. "Heeeey, I thought we've told you multiple times today you don't have to be so uptight."

"S-sorry, Lady Neptune." I mumble, bowing my head a little. It's just so hard to talk to them casually, especially when multiple of them are here.

I pause before saying anything else, noticing a message from Costumer. _"Thanks for the run."_

" _It was fun, and I couldn't have done it without you."_

" _Hey, if you have time later, do you want to do another dungeon?"_

" _I'll let you know if I can slip out early. Let's head back to town?"_

" _Sure."_

We exit the dungeon, ending up right at the entrance, where… Lady Neptune and Lady Blanc's characters are?

Before I can finish typing anything, I see a notification reading _Costumer has logged off._ Did he disconnect by accident? At that moment, though, I hear a phone buzz, and then Lady Neptune roaring with laughter. Whatever could it b—

* * *

"You're Costumer?!"

My surprised question is met with a groan from Lady Noire as Lady Vert simply laughs next to a Lady Noire who looks like she wants to be anywhere but here, sinking her beet red face into her hands.

"Of course she was." Lady Vert says, having just dragged Lady Noire in with a loud announcement she had figured out what Lady Noire was up to before announcing she was Costumer. "It wasn't very hard to put the pieces together."

Lady Noire says nothing in reply, just sinking her face further into her hands as she sits down at the counter. I quietly move over to the other side of the counter and begin to prepare a cup of hot chocolate for her, as even if I'm not open, I still have all the requisite pieces to do so.

"But like, what's the big deal, Lonely Heart?" Lady Neptune asks.

"Don't call me that!" Lady Noire shouts, with Lady Neptune just laughing with a big smile.

"If you wanted to play low-level characters, you could have told us." Lady Blanc comments off from the side. "Making a new character can be quite nostalgic, especially if you don't let your higher level characters fund them in any way."

"Yep, yep! I wouldn't have had any problems with it at all~" Lady Neptune says with an all-too-wide smile.

I decide to hop in, clearing my throat.

"Lady Neptune, may I speak?"

Lady Neptune, Lady Vert, and Lady Blanc all turn to look to me.

"Go ahead, Elly~"

"El...ly?"

"It's just Neptune being playful." Lady Blanc explains, to which I nod.

"Your name is too long for her to comprehend." is Lady Noire's explanation, prompting a "Hey!" from Lady Neptune, although it seems like she didn't take it personally.

I try to word things properly, as I know I'm a terrible liar, so trying to deny that Lady Noire gave me such a thing wouldn't work. Lady Noire hasn't admitted she's Costumer, but the evidence given is fairly… there. As in, Lady Vert apparently caught Lady Noire playing as Costumer with me, and the sudden disconnect was Lady Noire shutting her console off.

"Um, Lady Noire hasn't admitted anything yet, but I would like to vouch for her reasoning behind it. She gave me your console out of a concern for you, Lady Neptune, as she was worried that with the upcoming exposition, the tabloids would be trying to use whatever they could to drum up headlines. While my shop has been out of the headlines recently, if they came here and found out I didn't even own your console, then they might attempt to use that. Giving me a game was likely done so I could at least talk about a game I played on it. I've also told Lady Noire that I didn't usually play these types of games because I don't have many friends that do. If she really is Costumer, then I think it was done all for your sake, Lady Neptune, as you two seem to be very good friends, and she was just looking out for you."

The goddesses (minus Lady Noire) glance at each other, having a silent conversation. Lady Noire gives me a look that seems at least a bit thankful, but otherwise mostly keeps her head down. This silent conversation is broken up by Lady Neptune giving a big smile as she pats Lady Noire on the back.

"Awww, you could've just told me, Noire~ Thanks for looking out for me!"

Lady Noire mumbles something under her breath.

"Weeeeell, I think we should head out. I think we've taken up way too much of your day. Thanks for playing with us!"

I blink as the three goddesses almost seem to, in a rehearsed fashion, gather up their belongings.

"Can I get you anything to go, at least?" I ask, though they all say various 'no's before leaving, which puts only Lady Noire as the one to stay behind. "That was strange."

Lady Noire says nothing as I continue preparing her hot chocolate. Once I finish, I carefully slide it in front of her, where the aroma of chocolate causes her to lift her head.

"You seem fairly down, and I find that sweet things always seem to pick people back up." I say with my best customer service smile. "I apologize for being out of pastries though, Lady Noire, but if you wait a few minutes I can make something."

"You don't have to." She says, sitting up. "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

She takes a sip and seemingly enjoys it, taking another one. I force down a gulp before I speak again.

"Lady Noire?"

"Yes?" She asks, putting the cup down.

"Are you… really Costumer?"

She sighs, grumbling. "...yes, I was Costumer."

"I see… then… thank you. I had a lot of fun with Four Goddesses Online because of you. While this may be incredibly forward of me to say, I… enjoyed playing with you. I still don't have many friends who play this game, and I know you probably have other obligations on the account you usually play on, but… I just wanted to say that." I try to laugh to smooth things over. "Sorry for being so selfish, it's just… maybe I'm a little emboldened right now, knowing you would even give me the time of day."

"Well…" She pauses, looking towards the door. "As long as you don't act so stiff when we're talking in game, I suppose I could continue playing with you."

She then gives me a very accusatory finger-point as she turns back to me.

"Seriously, I thought I told you to cut it out with that. I get enough of that from the Basilicom staff, and if I'm playing a game to relax, I don't need you to continue with it."

"Sorry, Lady Noire."

She sighs, shaking her head. "Well, I guess that's the best it's going to get for now."

"May I ask if it was really only for Lady Neptune's sake?"

"Well, you are a terrible liar, so…"

I groan slightly, knowing there's probably more to it now, but she can't tell me in case it'd get out.

"...I think it's okay though, because no one would believe you, anyways."

"I see. Thank you for trusting me enough to—" I stop myself as Lady Noire gives me another look. "Right, not so formal."

"You said it a while back, that you didn't have many friends to play it with. Well, I'm kind of the same. Outside those three, I don't exactly have too many others. So when you said you didn't either, well…"

I'm able to put together the rest of the pieces and nod. "I see."

"Good, that was incredibly embarrassing to say. So don't make me repeat it, okay?"

"Of course not. I'm… a bit surprised you told me, though."

"Well, I've 'known' you for three weeks now, haven't I? It's so easy to tell that it's you behind the character."

I feel my cheeks becoming a bit red due to this, glancing away. "Is it now?"

I hear a small snort from Lady Noire. "It is. But that's why we're not total strangers now."

"I see. Thank you, Lady Noire."

We're interrupted by the sound of some buzzing. Lady Noire takes out her phone and checks it.

"Ahhh, looks like I should head back. Kei has some more papers she needs me to sign."

"Oh. Well, would you like another cup of hot chocolate to go?"

"No thanks, but thanks for the offer." She says, getting up from her seat. "Oh, and um… thanks for the save, earlier."

"I was just being honest about what I thought, Lady Noire."

She quietly nods, heading out the door. I then give a deep sigh, feeling relief filling my body. Ha, that was stressful, but… to think she really was Costumer… I guess she didn't really speak like Lady Noire, but maybe that was the point. I wouldn't be able to tell.

Well, either way… I guess I should clean up and prepare for tomorrow. I think I've had enough relaxation for today, and I need to make sure I'm at tip top shape as always.

I look up, hearing the door open again.

"Did you forget something, Lady Noire?" I ask, glancing around where she was sitting.

"Erm, if we're going to be playing more online, it'll be convenient if we don't have to schedule things in-game, right?" She asks, holding up what's probably her phone, which I assume was designed for maximum efficiency considering how sleek it looks. "Since I might be busy the night we normally would schedule it."

I nod, understanding what she's getting at, and take my own phone out. I hold it out to her before taking her own phone, adding myself to her contacts.

"Tomorrow's Monday, so…"

"I know." Lady Noire says, taking back her phone. "You have your own work to do, so make sure you do that first, got it?"

"Of course, Lady Noire. Oh, and I forgot to say it last time, but have a good night."

"Good night, Elliot." She says, leaving—and this time, for good, leaving me alone in the shop. Well, maybe I should leave this out of what I tell IF when we chat, there's no way she'll let me live this one down...

* * *

"Say it."

"Are… are we going to play this game, IF?" I ask, feeling like this is very childish for her.

"Say it." She says, with an ever widening grin on her face. Then again, I was very confident that Lady Noire wasn't Costumer, so now she's just teasing me for it.

"Do I have to?"

She only gives me an uncharacteristically smug smile in return.

"Fine, you were right." I mutter, turning away as if ashamed to admit my mistake.

IF gives a fist pump and has a hearty laugh as I groan in defeat.

"I told you so."

"You don't have to rub it in." I say as I continue working on her order. Nothing more than a simple latte, though the art is still coming along. At the very least, the rose at least… looks like a rose.

"And hey, your art's improving."

"I've been getting some good practice in."

"Ready to impress Noire?"

I grumble as I put down the steamed milk before serving her coffee and chocolate pastry. "I'm not trying to impress Lady Noire, IF. I try to impress all my customers, after all."

"I know, it's just so much fun to tease."

"I'm surprised Lady Neptune isn't annoying you over this considering how she thought you and I were a thing."

"Thanks for jinxing it, Elliot." She mumbles. "Oh, I can give you some tips. I know her favorite places here, so you can take her there."

"I am not taking Lady Noire anywhere, IF."

She smiles again and I roll my eyes.

"Well, let's talk about _you_ then, IF."

"There's not much to talk about. Oh, um, I did avoid the rear loading dock position."

"Are you really working that night?"

She sighs, looking away from me as I stand in front of her, across the counter. "Okay, in my defense, I… I did pick my position, so I'd be by the actual gala itself. I'll be in the ballroom, watching out for anything."

"IF, come on…"

"Hey, look, it's… it's a busy night, okay? Big event. And we're a bit shortstaffed since I didn't ask to take leave as early as everyone else did, so I'd feel bad if I just used Neptune's invitation as a way to skip out on it. Everyone knows I personally know her, so office politics are a thing, you know? It'd look like I asked her to help me get out of it. I did my best as I could."

"Please tell me you at least managed to get half of it off? I don't even care if you lie to me right now, IF."

"That's unfair, Elliot. You'll make me feel bad." She mumbles, turning to look towards me but not picking her head up. "Is really that concerning to you that I take a day off?"

"It's not just that, but it's a night to enjoy with your friends. Lady Neptune and Compa will there, as usual, right? I think it'd do you some good if you just had night to play around with them."

"It's a kind of serious event, though."

"Yeah, but I'm sure that once the cameras are off and you're all just having a good time, you can enjoy yourself. You know, put on a nice dress and just have dinner with friends, the like."

IF laughs, rolling her eyes. "Well, for one, I actually prefer pants."

"You know what I meant, IF."

"Ha… well…"

"Hm?"

"The break room usually has someone bringing in coffee cartons, but… maybe I could talk to the goddesses about letting the security team have some freshly brewed coffee?" She asks with a knowing smile. "I could still hang out with a friend."

"You can't spend the entire night in the break room, though."

"I know, I know. But if I can't spend the night with Nep and the others, and you _really_ want me to relax with someone, I guess this is the only way, right?"

I give a small sigh, hearing IF chuckling. "Alright, well… it might be a bit rough to stay up that late, and I'll have to let my customers know in advance as I'd have to be closed that night, but I'd be willing to do it."

"I'll talk to Nep in the morning about it, then."

"Good. If I find out you don't, maybe I should go ask to talk to her myself."

"Do you have the confidence to go to the Basilicom and ask, though?"

"...okay, you got me there." I say back, IF chuckling at my inability to so brazenly ask for our goddess' attention and time. "Oh, but I guess I could send her a message in Four Goddesses Online…"

I see IF's attention suddenly perk up as that's a very real and very likely avenue I could use to get in contact with her.

"Please don't."

"Relax, IF. I was only going to ask her about if you forgot." I say with a smile, IF rolling her eyes. "Besides, I have faith in you. It's not like you to forget things."

"Yeah, well tell that to my grocery list."

We both share a laugh over that. I have to say I'm very familiar with the feeling. Sometimes I go into the store, looking to buy bananas and vanilla extract, and then come out with everything _but_.

Our conversation is interrupted by some buzzing. IF checks her phone, but puts it away.

"Work?"

"Hm? No, actually. No one texted me."

Huh…

"Ah, excuse me for a second." I say, deciding to check my phone. It's a text from…

I glance over to IF, who gives me a curious glance.

" _Are you free this weekend?"_ reads the text from Lady Noire.

"Do you mind if I—"

"Go ahead, Elliot. It's fine, there's no one else here, anyways."

"Sorry, it's just that it's a bit rude to be checking my phone…"

IF waves me off, knowing that was probably what I was worried about anyways.

" _Yes, I am. Which dungeon would you like to run?"_

" _Cut it with the formality, Elliot."_ Reads the first text back, followed by a second. _"Also, do you want to have an IRL meetup?"_

" _An IRL meetup?"_

" _It's a thing some of my guildmates and sometimes friends do, where everyone online meets up. The thing that I thought you were doing before, if that helps."_

Wait, so…?

" _Sure?"_

"' _Sure?'"_

" _I just didn't know how to respond."_

"Must be quite the conversation you're having there." IF says, looking amused and apparently watching me type back. "Who is it?"

"A, uh, a friend." I say back, knowing that's the truth. I see IF read me immediately, as she starts laughing.

"It's Noire, isn't it?"

I say nothing as I see the next text.

" _Alright. We'll work out the details later, but I caught a break in my work tonight so I wanted to ask now while I had the time."_

" _Okay. Good luck with the rest of your work tonight."_

" _Thanks. Good night."_

" _Good night, Lady Noire."_

"It's Noire." IF says triumphantly as I put my phone away. "Tell me it isn't Noire."

"I'll give you a free dozen muffins if I don't have to say anything."

IF's laughter seems to melt the exhaustion on her face from earlier tonight.

"Wow, _what_ did you say to her?" IF asks after she stops laughing, a big smile painted on her face.

"I never said it was Lady Noire."

"Oh, but it is, right?"

I don't say anything, which causes IF to almost double over in laughter.

"Wow, and she's the one asking you!" She says in-between gasps for breath. "Is it a date?"

"It's not a date, it's an IRL meetup, like guilds usually do on Four Goddesses Online—Oh come on, you can stop laughing now!"

"Okay, okay, I'll stop… I'll stop, Elliot, okay?" She says, trying to rein in her snickers before biting down on her sleeves for a few more seconds. "Okay, okay, I'm good."

I give her a look that makes her smile before laughing _just_ a bit more. After maybe thirty more seconds, she finally stops.

"Okay, sorry. It's just really, really funny. It's really forward of her, though, there _has_ to be a reason. Don't disappoint her now, okay?"

"I'll try not to… and um, please don't tell Lady Neptune."

"I guarantee you Nep's going to find out in a week or less, and not through me."

I close my eyes and try not to sigh. It's almost like when the goddesses interrogated me over IF, but probably worse considering how it's well, one of _them_ , and I don't have IF watching my back this time. I really don't want to be put through another round of questioning.

But besides, what's with all the rush to start thinking we're going out or something? We've barely known each other for a few weeks, and most of that has been through online games.

"Please have my back, though?" I ask somewhat meekly, with IF chuckling.

"It's okay, Elliot. I know you and Noire aren't actually like that. She's probably just excited at the chance to do something that people with bigger friend circles can do. Plus you don't treat the ground she walks on as holy land, so she's probably appreciating the more casual atmosphere… well, as casual as you can be, anyways."

"Gee, thanks."

"Nep's just going to have her fun with it when she finds out, so be ready for that. Unless you guys actually are like that, in which case, _wow,_ you need to start teaching classes, and you should _definitely_ be prepared to be thoroughly interrogated by the other goddesses."

"I promise you, we're not. Besides, we've only known each other for a month, tops. It's not like you and I who've known each other for a few months now."

I pause, hearing IF make a choking sound, but when I look to her she just waves me off, glancing away.

"But it makes me glad to know that you'll have my back."

"Yeah… just you know, don't do anything stupid."

"I'll try."

IF rolls her eyes as she gets up, stretching her arms. "Well, it is getting late. And technically, I didn't make you say anything, soooo…"

I laugh, shooing her away as I move to clean up her area. "I'll have that extra chocolate chip muffin dozen for you tomorrow."

"I was only teasing, but thanks." IF says with a smile, heading for the door. "Good night, Elliot."

"Good night, IF." I say, waving as she leaves through the door, watching it close behind her. Ha… I feel like my entire life has been turned upside down. I would never have believed something like this could have happened two months ago. I can't say I'm upset though, but… I'm definitely _just_ a bit scared, haha.

Well, hopefully this turns out well…

* * *

 **And the Noire focus continues. I felt like it would be more fun just to skip to Noire getting outed, haha. A mostly easy-going chapter, with Elliot and Noire's friendship somewhat deepening. I thought that the three week time jump in the story (brought up last chapter as Elliot has been playing for two weeks and then we cut to the weekend) was a good enough period where the two were friendlier.**

 **I wondered if it was too forward of Noire to ask him to go meet up, but I kind of chalked it up to Noire wanting to experience things that she's heard about friends doing, and so Elliot represents an avenue to do so, so she's sort of jumping at the opportunity to do so. But to me it definitely sounded Noire-ish, to be a little excited about having someone you could call a friend, especially since Elliot is an escape from her normal life as a goddess.**

 **Of course, as always there's the IF segment where she's really just commenting on the situation and having her fun. Plus, a little more advancement on the gala plotline, which is probably I would say the first "big" kind of underlying plot segment. Granted this story doesn't really have that much of a plotline to follow being more in the slice of life category, but I suppose if you look at it from a big picture standpoint yeah, there's a slight plot inbetween the lines lol**

 **Anyways, expect something akin to a not-a-date scene next time, haha. Let me know what you guys think, my main concern was that things advanced too quickly, so if I need to work on the pacing, seriously let me know.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:** Just an IRL Meetup

* * *

"No, no, yes? No."

I sigh, tossing another short-sleeved button shirt onto my bed.

"Geez, what am I, a high school girl going on her first date?"

I guess I might as well be. I've gone through at least eleven different outfits, trying to find something that isn't too stuffy but isn't too casual, either. I don't know exactly what Lady Noire had in mind, and I would ask IF, but I don't want to be laughed at for twenty minutes. She's having way too much fun with this whole thing. I gotta ask Compa if there's any guys IF's interested in, because I'm going to pay her back ten times over.

After about thirty minutes, I decide to just go with dark blue jeans and a black button short sleeved t-shirt. It shouldn't be too formal, but not too casual either.

"Keys, keys, yep, I've got my keys…" I mumble before leaving the cafe and locking the door. Okay, okay. Don't be too nervous.

I take a deep breath, slapping my cheeks after I tuck my keys into my messenger bag, zipping it up and tightening up the strap that runs across my chest.

Really, even though she just asked to go somewhere as friends, saying that "IRL meet ups are fairly commonplace nowadays", she's still… well, a CPU! How can she expect me not to be nervous?!

IF told me just to be myself and don't worry too much, but how am I supposed to do that when I've only really known her for maybe a month? It's not like IF where she's worked side by side with them for way longer.

I'm still not even sure whether or not she wants to be anonymous with this, because I'm fairly certain this is prime material for tabloids. Didn't Kei mention not trying to give them anything to take shots at when she came to observe me? Does Kei know about this, then?

I keep feeling very self-conscious about whether or not I should have buttoned the top-most button of my shirt or if it's okay to leave it unbuttoned on the entire bus ride to the mall. At the very least, it's… not us alone? I think I'd be more terrified if it were just the two of us like, you know, taking a walk through the woods or something.

After I get to the mall, I wander around a little bit, looking for the store we agreed to meet in front of. Unfortunately, I was so nervous about missing the mall bus stop that I got off on the first stop around the mall, and according to the map, the store we were supposed to meet in front of, _Stacy's_ , a large clothing franchise, it's all the way on the other side of the mall.

Thank goodness it's an indoor mall, though. Otherwise I'd be sweating up a storm with how nervous I am.

After about twenty minutes, I reach the storefront, and am still about twenty five minutes early. Or at least I would be, if Lady Noire hadn't already been over there. Instead of her usual outfit, she's dressed in a white blouse and a red plaid skirt, along with a matching bow-tie-ribbon around her neck. Also, rather than her usual blue fluffy ribbons in her hair, she has much more subdued purple hair ties.

Whew, I didn't overdress or underdress, thank goodness.

I wave to her as I approach, with Lady Noire giving a small wave back as I reach her.

"You haven't been waiting for too long, have you? Sorry for being late."

"Hey, no bowing!" Lady Noire grumbles as I move to duck my head down. "Geez…"

"S-sorry. Anyways, Lady N—"

"Noire."

I pause, unsure about what she means by that.

"You don't have to call me as 'Lady Noire' today. We're here as friends, so calling me by just Noire is fine."

"Are you sure? Won't—"

"We're just friends, right? An IRL meetup, right?" She asks, though I can feel a bit of unsureness in her voice. I guess she's not confident that everyone's going to see it as that. I suppose that it should be easy to make myself scarce, plus I guess there's enough weird fans of Lady Noire that actually dress like her that Lady Noire could actually just pass herself off as one of those crazy fans.

Seriously, the things IF has told me about the goddess fanclubs is… mildly unsettling, to say the least.

"Ye… yeah. Alright…" I pause again, trying to push back all of my instinct. "...Noire."

"That's better, ah, Elliot."

I nod before looking around the mall. It's not too crowded, but there are a lot of families, as expected of a Sunday afternoon. There's a few young adults like me and some teenagers hanging out as a group, similar to how I did before, when I was in high school.

"So… where to, first?" I ask, hoping that Lady Noire has something in mind.

"Well, let's… just walk around and see if there's anything."

"Alright."

I try to keep about two feet between us, using my hands to hold onto the messenger bag straps to avoid accidental contact. It's so much harder to talk to her now, face to face. Even when she was just Costumer, I'd forget that it was Lady Noire because we were playing online, and you can kind of forget that there's a person behind the avatar for a bit.

But when it's face to face… it's just too hard to think about her as _not_ Lady Noire. In fact, it's very suffocating… I almost miss playing Four Goddesses Online with her. There's got to be something…

"So…"

I nearly jolt up as Lady Noire speaks, all of my senses immediately going on overdrive, ready to pay the utmost attention.

"Yes, La—Noire?"

"Erm, um… how has your day been?"

"It's been alright. Just relaxing after the hours today. How about you?"

"Just… kind of the same."

The silence quickly sets in after that. Come on, Elliot, get it together. I've made conversation with even more clammy clients before, so this much shouldn't be tough. But it's not like any of my clients have ever been well… a goddess.

About thirty minutes go by, but it feels like two hours because of how stiff everything feels. We keep making small pockets of conversation, but it's just small sentences like before. I guess neither of us have had a lot of friends we talk to, based on what Lady Noire has told me before.

I try to think about what we could do. I want this to be memorable, both as a friend and because I feel like this is an extension of the coffee shop. I want to see people happy, is all.

I glance around again, looking for something that could… maybe...

"Hey, how about over there?"

I point over to an arcade, which seems to be somewhat bustling with activity. Seeing as we haven't had luck anywhere else, Lady Noire accepts and we walk over, finding a wide assortment of games that we could play.

"Well, do you have any games you'd like more?" I ask, now finally having a topic that both of us are slightly familiar with.

"I haven't been to an arcade in a while, actually."

"Oh, I see." I say, slightly disheartened. But, I can't give up just yet. This is about as good as we're going to get.

I find one of the token exchange machines and slide my card in to pay, getting about fifty tokens. Lady Noire continues to watch as I pocket them, looking around for… there we go.

"Where are you going?"

"These." I say, gesturing at the dance machines. "I like these ones, so even if I haven't been to an arcade in a while either, these bring back memories."

Memories of high school, huh… Alright, well, I know how this is probably going to go, but I've learned how to take failure and make a success out of it. I just need to be able to laugh at myself, is all.

I mentally steel myself for the beatdown that is likely to occur, as I hold put three tokens in to play. This is… probably not going to end well. But, this is about the best chance I can get.

I select a random song and put it to Hard difficulty, (which is uh, compared to some of the other difficulties, is not even that hard considering how there's the ever-ridiculous Impossible difficulty which has difficulties on _top_ of that), and take a breath.

After about one minute and thirty seconds of flailing about, trying to keep up with the song and failing about a third of the way through, I step down, where Lady Noire has her arms crossed.

"I thought you said you liked these."

"Ahaha, I never said I was good at them, though." I say with a bit of a sheepish smile on my face. "Are you good at these, L—Noire?"

"Hmm… I'd say I'm okay at them."

"Well…" I then take out three more tokens and hold them out to her. "Would you like to have a go?"

Lady Noire pauses before gently taking the tokens from my hand. "If you insist."

I think it's mostly because we're finally glad to have something that isn't an awkward conversation which is why she agreed so easily.

Lady Noire then puts in her three tokens and steps up onto the dancing platform. The song… hey, that sounds a lot like Lady Noire's voice, although she's definitely _not_ singing…?

It's an enchanting display as her coordination easily outstrips mine. From pad to pad, she flawlessly moves in time with the melody, completely blowing my performance out of the water. To the point she even places a brand new high score on the machine.

"H-hey, cut that out." Lady Noire says she steps down to the sound of me clapping.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. That was seriously impressive."

"It wasn't that much." She says with a small shrug. "Is that all?"

"Well, we could always go around to the other games now if you don't want to keep playing this one. Unless you'd like to teach me the ropes, haha. I mean, you already did that for Four Goddesses Online, right?"

"Hey, you can't just rely on me for everything." She says with a hand on her left hip. "How about you show me something you're good at. Don't you owe me?"

I can't help but chuckle a little bit, which in turn, causes Lady Noire to at least smile.

"Alright. Let's see, I guess I'm pretty good at racing games and the basketball one." I say with a bit of a sheepish smile. "But that song sounded like you sang it."

"That's because I did." She says offhandedly, like it's nothing. "It was part of a publicity thing we did a while back."

"Oh, I see. I must have not heard it then, but I liked the song. No wonder you seemed so in-touch with it."

"This isn't you trying to get out of playing a game you're good at, is it?"

"Haha, of course not." I say, looking around for the racing games… ah, there it is.

We head over, where I slide into the chair before glancing at the controls, refamiliarizing myself with them. Alright, gear shift, pedals, okay, got it.

"Can I at least get a warm-up round before I take on the usual course?"

"Huh? Oh, sure."

"Thanks—" I catch myself before I can almost say 'Lady', and nod. "Noire."

"You're improving."

"Well, I do try." I say as I load in the tokens and select one of the easier tracks. Let's see, I think the HE-87 was my usual car since it was a star in the show. Very good handling, decent top speed, and of course, have to customize it…

"That's fairly gaudy, don't you think?" Lady Noire asks, pointing to my very hot-pink and yellow colored car that is now lining up on the starting line.

"Oh, haha, my girlfriend in high school always made me race with her favorite colors. So, since I'm playing this again after all this time, I figured it'd be a nice throwback." I say with a small laugh as I lightly press down on the acceleration pedal. "Alright… three, two, one…!"

I immediately floor the accelerator afterwards, shooting off ahead. I feel both like I'll mess up more, but also like I'm going to do better, as Lady Noire is watching over my shoulder. It's like being both nervous but also having a strange clarity of mind, knowing that because I have expectations of me, that I'm going to do as well as I'm expected.

Despite not playing for a while, the muscle memory starts to come back to me, and I can feel myself slowly adjusting to the car again. Each additional corner lets me get more and more used to it, to the point where I'm no longer oversteering and easily drifting around each corner.

While I don't place a best time, I do manage to get on the top twenty of the scoreboard.

Of course, now it's time for the real thing.

"Alright, I'm warmed up." I say, putting in more tokens and now selecting Tenfold Mountain, one of the hardest maps. I select the same car again, and this time decide to dye it a dark blue and black, similar to her usual outfit. "For luck, Noire?"

I see her smile just a _little_ bit before saying "Don't disappoint me, now".

"I'll try not to."

As soon as the race begins, I floor the pedal again, taking off. While my car takes off down the slopes, I can hear Lady Noire make an occasional gasp or make a quick inhale as she notices something that I see on the screen as well, like a hairpin curve or when I'm sure she's thinking that I'm going into a curve too fast before drifting around it, to which I hear an exhale.

It's not really anything as breathtaking as Lady Noire's dancing, but I guess it can be impressive in its own right.

"There's one last curve."

"Mhm." I say, glancing at the minimap again.

"Wait, aren't you going too fast?"

"Well, I need to catch up on time." I say, accelerating a little bit more. "And here we go…!"

I can hear Lady Noire's hands gripping the plastic seat tightly as I go into the curve. I immediately slow down as I go into the curve and begin drifting.

Oh no, it's sliding… come on, come on… I just need to make it around the curve…

I let out a small yelp as I see Lady Noire put her hand on the wheel and tilt it to the right just a bit more. My… whoa, alright, I think I got this…!

"Thanks." I say as I cross the finish line, earning a top time. "Haha, I was supposed to show you something where I could do better, but I guess I got a bit ambitious."

"I, um…" Lady Noire says as she pulls her hand away. "Sorry. I didn't want to you lose your top time."

"Well, regardless, thank you." I say, putting in a name for the high score. Let's see… and _NoEll_ should do the trick.

"You're not putting your name?"

"You helped, so you should get some credit." I say as I confirm the nickname before she can say anything to stop me. "Maybe the basketball game next, so I can restore my honor and dignity?"

I see Lady Noire give a scoff that wouldn't have been out of place coming from IF as I get up from my chair and stretch, seeing two kids across the way playing at a claw machine. One boy, one girl, they look similar enough to where they're probably siblings. And… nope, they didn't get their stuffed rabbit. Judging by the bright orange color, it's probably for the girl, who's slightly younger.

The boy moves over to comfort his sister, who seems very upset that they're not getting the very large stuffed rabbit.

"L—Noire?"

"Yes?"

"Can you distract those kids for a second?" I ask, subtly gesturing to the pair.

I think she put the pieces together right away as she nods. "Alright, try not to take long."

"Thanks."

I quietly move over and immediately plug tokens into the machine, and when the music starts up, Lady Noire moves to talk to them. I almost want to listen into the conversation, but I put all of my concentration into the crane machine.

"Alright, it's about… got it." I mumble, gauging mentally how big the gap is for the claw that'll come down. Okay, let's get it lined up… alright, attempt one is a go, let's just see how much it wobbles on the way down… got it. I'll be able to get it on the second attempt.

I adjust the position accordingly, having watched the claw's movements and swinging the first time around. On the second attempt, I manage to snag the stuffed animal the kids were likely going for.

The stuffed rabbit plops down the hole with a soft _clunk_. I reach into the slot and pull it out, then hold it out to the kids as I get down on one knee, Lady Noire stepping away.

"Hey, you if had just waited a little bit longer, it would've fallen down on its own."

The girl stops sniffling as the boy gingerly takes the rabbit and presents it to his sister, who smiles and wipes her eyes.

"T… thanks, mister." He says as I stand up.

I only give a thumbs up as the kids walk away, when Lady Noire raises an eyebrow.

"Are you good at claw machines?" She asks with small smile.

"Not really, he did most of the work, I just had to give it a little more push."

Of course, I'm a terrible liar, so it's super easy to see past it.

"You just seemed pretty rehearsed with those claw machine games, is all."

"Ah, well… I guess I had a bit of experience."

"You practiced a lot for your girlfriend in high school, didn't you?"

I suppose it was the only real logical conclusion, considering how I brought her up earlier.

"I didn't say that." I mumble, not really wanting to talk about my high school girlfriend right now, looking away as I try to find another game for us to play, although it is true. "Anyways, let's find another game to play?"

At the very least, we're able to talk with each other over something now.

We navigate from game to game, occasionally pitted head to head with each other. Lady Noire manages to beat me in mostly everything, although I prove just slightly better in the basketball game. While she's clearly very athletic, I have the muscle memory from when I used to play even casually in high school.

"My stamina is kind of bad, though, so I think if we actually played a one on one, you'd beat me." I say with a bit of a laugh as we finish our rematch, where I narrowly edge out Lady Noire by two baskets, a little more used to the overinflation of these basketballs.

Lady Noire gives a single chuckle as we walk away from the basketball machines. "Shouldn't you have some endurance from running your shop all day?"

"Well, it's a different thing when you're running back and forth on a court than when you stand around." I say as I feel my phone buzz. "Oh hey, it is getting kind of late. It's actually almost eight in the evening."

"It is? We spent longer than I thought we did, huh…"

"Ah, we didn't even get dinner. At least me get that for you."

Lady Noire shakes her head. "No, it'll be fine. I'll just get something when I go back."

"Are you sure?"

"You already spent money on the tokens, so don't worry about it." Lady Noire says as we start walking for one of the entrances.

"Alright, if you insist. But, ah…"

Lady Noire raises an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Thank you for spending today with me, Noire. I enjoyed being with a friend, it brought me back to my high school days. Maybe I should take my mentor's advice and relax a little bit about the shop, head out a bit more."

"Don't slack off too much." She says with a slightly joking tone. "And, thanks for being here today. It um, means a lot to me."

I give a small smile, getting one from Lady Noire as we stop at one of the intersections where people are sitting, eating around.

"Ah, the busses are that way." I say, pointing down one path.

"Well, my transportation is the other way." Lady Noire says as she points in another direction.

"See you tomorrow night?"

"T… to—"

"On Four Goddesses Online, right?"

"Right, of course." She says, quickly nodding. "I'll 'see' you then."

I give a small wave as we part ways. That went… actually pretty well. Once we got the ice broken by a few games, things kind of just… went pretty well. It feels great to hang out with someone who I think is a friend now. Maybe I should bring IF out as well, she could really use it. Although, I don't think IF and I could bond over games like Lady Noire and I were able to. I should ask Compa about what we could do together if we wanted to do something, actually. I've been meaning to do it, but it keeps slipping my mind whenever I see her.

Well, either way, I should be able to tell IF that everything went well.

* * *

"Solid B, no, no, B plus."

"What?! I'm taking your free half-dozen muffins back, then." I say (half) jokingly at IF's apparent grading of my outing with Lady Noire. "Everything went very well, why is it only a B plus?"

"Oh come on, that's above average. First off, you should've walked her to her car or whatever she was using to get back. Second, you had all that talent with claw machines and didn't give her a gift to take back with her?"

"Okay, well, first off, how do you know this much about what I should've done?"

"Hey, I might not be seeing anyone, but I hear enough complaining in the office." IF says with a very confident look as she leans back in her seat, daring me to make a challenge.

I only sigh, shaking my head. "It's not like I was taking her on a date, though. We were just there as _friends_ , IF. And I've dated before, I know what to do while on a date."

"Haha, I know, I know. I'm just giving you a hard time. I'm glad to know you're getting along with her, at least. It makes it easier on both of us."

"Hm?" I ask, tilting my head to let her know to explain.

"Ah, well, it'd be kind of rough if they didn't befriend you, too, you know? Or if they disapproved of you or something like that. But since they seem to like you enough to the point of even hanging around with you, it means they won't give me a hard time about being around someone like you."

"Oh, I guess that's true. It'd be kind of hard to stay friends if they didn't want us to be friends." I say with a small smile, thankful that our friendship does at least have the goddess' blessing.

"Well, it's not like it was ever in question, anyways. You're a decent guy with a pretty much spotless history." IF says, returning the smile. "You're so harmless that the only way you could do any real damage is by failing to lie."

"I'd like to thank my parents for raising me on the straight and narrow."

IF rolls her eyes at this, chuckling. "Oh, I did ask about having you at the coffee station. There's just a few background checks that have to clear, but I think you'll pass with flying colors."

"Ah, it is a big event, so I guess that's fine."

"If it passes, it's likely Kei who will be helping to write the contract, and seeing as you've already garnered a bit of favor with her, I think she'll be more than fair in your payment."

"The money wasn't ever really a concern, but it'll be appreciated. I'll have to ask my part-timer if he'd like to join in, just for a bonus, but I think he'll already be busy."

"Oh, I'll make sure to add him to the background check, just in case you do recruit him for it."

"Thanks. Any special requests? Actually, why don't I let you decide what I'll prepare that night. I don't think I can offer my full menu, so I'll have to be very selective." I say, putting a hand on my chin as I go through my menu in my head.

"Oh, definitely the cheese danishes. And maybe the chocolate chip muffins. Those are pretty much staples." IF says, waving her finger around. "Do you think you can do pies?"

"I don't think I can make them there, but I can bring a few of them already made."

"Then, is it too much to ask for this cookies and cream cake as well?" IF asks, gesturing to the slice she's currently eating.

I laugh, starting to cut another slice as she's already halfway through her current one. "I'll keep one in the back just for you, IF."

I can see her roll her eyes in an exaggerated manner. "Can you at least just give me your menu? It'll make things easier."

"You don't already have my entire selection memorized?" I ask as I put down the platter with her new slice of cake in front of her before clutching my heart. "Oh, what a sad day. To think I thought you were a regular."

"I can see why you never joined the drama department."

"I'm working on it, all right?" I mumble, getting another laugh from IF as she finishes off her first slice of cake.

"Work harder, then."

"You would say that." I say, giving IF a knowing smile, to which she scowls to.

"Hey, I'm taking a break after the gala, okay?" She says, though I put a hand on my hip as I seriously don't believe her. "Oh, don't give me that."

"I really don't believe you."

"Okay, what if I show you the tickets to the cruise I'm supposed to go on?"

"You're going on a cruise?!"

IF laughs as she waves me off. "I wish I had the money for that. No, I'll actually just be going to Lowee for a bit. Something about snow is strangely relaxing."

"Snow, huh? Sounds nice." I say, leaning up against the counter. "Hopefully the gala goes off without a hitch, so that way you can coast right on into your vacation."

"Hey, saying things like that is dangerous. We all know as soon as you say something like that, something'll come up."

"Oh, right. Sorry. Another cup of coffee?"

"Ah, no. I might actually have some trouble getting to sleep."

"If you say so. Do you mind if I start cleaning up?"

"Go ahead. I'll call if I need anything."

I push off the counter and nod, going to the back to start washing dishes. I try to do it a bit quietly so that way I can hear IF if she says anything, but nothing comes up as I scrub everything down. After I put everything on the drying rack or in the dishwasher and set it to spin, I come back out and check on IF, who's staring out the window.

"Something caught your eye?"

"H-huh? Oh, hey, Elliot. No, just kind of deep in thought."

"Care to share?" I ask, moving over to face IF at the counter. She continues to look out the window.

"Well, just thinking about all the workaholic flak you've been giving me."

"If it's too much, I'll cut it back."

"No, but it's just… maybe I'll try to make more of an effort. It's just real easy to fall back into the old habit, you know?"

"Ah, I get what you mean." I mumble. "Truthfully, I'd probably fall back into it if Lady Noire hadn't introduced me to Four Goddesses Online. She definitely shook things up and introduced something new to the routine."

I see IF smile a little bit at this and decide to capitalize on it. I've been waiting for something like this, and so finally I can bring it up.

"Alright."

"Huh?" IF asks, turning to face me."What is it?"

"Let's go see a movie next week."

"Wait, isn't that a little sudden?"

I can't help but smile a bit when IF sits up, apparently very confused by my outburst.

"It doesn't have to be every week. It can just be every other week. There's a movie theatre over on the east side of town that also shows really old movies and has special events all the time."

"And how do you know this?" IF asks, tilting her head.

"Ah, well… truthfully, I looked into it when Lady Noire asked me to go somewhere, and I wasn't sure where I should take her or if she had decided where we'd go. I thought about a movie, but it seemed a little too much like a date, and I didn't want to be too forward."

"She wouldn't have taken it the wrong way, Elliot."

"I was just worried, okay?" I say back, getting an understanding nod back from IF. "But it could be something fun, right? Just every other week, you can put down your work for a bit and we'll go see a movie together. That way, it's a bit routine, but there's always something new to it, kind of like when we play Four Goddesses Online. Plus, if you want to bring a friend, like Compa, that can add some variety to it. I don't mind slipping out if you want to have some time with your other friends, after all. It's just to add something new to the usual routine."

"Haha, I appreciate the effort, Elliot. But I'm not exactly a movie person."

"Well… what if you just came here, then?"

"And watch a movie here?"

"Er, not exactly. You could use some cooking lessons, right?" I earn a nasty glare from IF for that one. "Okay, hey, hey, I'm being serious here. Maybe you could come here for lessons? Plus, you can learn how to make your own pastries."

"Isn't that bad for you, though?"

"I don't have to give you the recipe I use or the exact ingredients, so it's fine." I say with a small smile. "Besides, I trust you."

I see IF turn away slightly, clearly a bit embarrassed about being told that up front. "Ah, um, thanks, Elliot. I'll give it some thought. What time works best for you, then, if I said yes?"

"Maybe Sunday mornings, if you aren't busy? It could be the late morning, too. Something like ten, eleven o'clock in the morning. That way you can still sleep in."

"Haha, well, I'm not really one to sleep in, but that sounds okay."

"Besides, it makes for good timing. We'll be done just in time for lunch, so you can make your lunch for the day."

"Or I can just eat whatever you make." IF says rather glumly.

"Hey, none of that. I'm sure while Compa gives you a hard time or likes to tease you, no one's actually that terrible at cooking like you see on television. We'll start with the basics and then go up from there." I say, making sure to give her a confident smile.

"Alright, alright. Well, I'll think about it for a day."

"Take your time, IF. Don't feel rushed or anything. Ah, can I take your plate?"

"Oh, right. Sorry."

"It's fine. Can I get you anything else?"

She shakes her head as she gets up from her chair. "Nope, I think I'm good for the night. Thanks for everything, Elliot."

"It's my pleasure. Have a good night, IF."

"You too, Elliot. See you tomorrow."

I see her to the door, walking her out and locking the door behind her, and then waving as she mounts her motorcycle and takes off into the night. Well, I guess I ought to prepare some kind of progression for IF, if she says yes. There's just so many fun dishes to try…

* * *

 **I swear I didn't mean for this story to go this way to the point I wrote essentially a not-a-date scene, but yet here we are. And by that I mean I did, because it's all set up for something later, teeheehee. Had a bit of fun writing this chapter once I got down what I wanted to do. Basically the biggest trouble was in deciding what they would do, but I settled for something easy like walking around the mall.**

 **I thought it was a good chance to show their relatively closeness, that they can joke around with each other and whatnot. Mostly also dropped some hints about Elliot's high school ex. I don't think I'll have her pop up "on screen", I think I kind of like it more where she's this kind of "ghost" figure that's just had a larger impact in Elliot's life and it guides/haunts his choices from here on out. Claw scene felt a bit cliche but I think it was an alright one, allowing Noire to see Elliot's softer side but also still showing how his ex has an influence over him.**

 **IF's side of things was easy as always. Their dialogue has become pretty much second nature to me because low key I have a friend with whom I have their dynamic, so it's basically "if we were talking what would we say". Also I would say it's maybe, 2-3 chapters until the "big gala" finale/climax. Next chapter has something very fun though, hehe.**

 **Side note: Trying to catch every "Lady Noire" was a pain, because Elliot refers to her as Lady Noire in his narration, but during the time speaking to her, calls her "Noire" by request. I think I snagged all of them but wowwee, what a pain!**

 **Anyways as always, let me know what you think of this chapter. Noire is still kind of tricky to get down, as this is her first really "focused" chapter where she's on screen for most of it, and in person too. Catch you all then!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:** Learning to Cook

* * *

"Whoa, easy there." I say, putting my arm out and stopping IF from stumbling back as the fried egg we're working on pops a little bit, with some oil spraying up. "I didn't think you'd be afraid of a bit of oil."

"I-it's something I'm not used to, Elliot." IF mumbles as I realize where my arm is and quickly retract it. "It's not like I didn't freeze up the first time I fought a monster, either."

"It's okay, just take it easy. Now, use the spatula and use it to lightly toss the oil in the pan onto the yolk."

"Alright…"

On the side is a plate of scrambled eggs, which we also made because IF messed up in cracking the eggs, so the yolk didn't come out all together, so making a nice over easy fried egg would be hard since the yolk had already spread. While it seems like breakfast for lunch, it was actually moreso being done to be combined with the hamburgers we were preparing.

Of course, I cheated a bit and had frozen patties, because actually having to form them yourself is a pain. And we can always cover that a bit later.

Besides, this is a good double lesson, as it serves as a breakfast lesson as well.

"See, you're not bad at cooking." I say as the yolk is finally covered in that light layer of white. "Okay, we'll just let it sit there until you can see a nice golden brown on the edge of the egg."

"Got it."

After a minute more or two, I have IF take the egg out and put it on top of the lettuce and tomato, completing the burger before I cut the heat.

"See, not bad, right?" I ask as I move the pan off the hot stove. "I'm sure you can do it at home."

"I guess… Oh, can I just get a list of ingredients and instructions? It might help with remembering it later."

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I figured you might ask that, so I prepared it in advance." I say with a knowing smile. "Anyways, let's get the food out and eat."

I place both plates onto a tray (alongside some ketchup, mustard, and two cans of soda) and carry it out, leading IF into the main cafe area. I then put the two plates on the usual counter where IF sits before putting it away, with IF sitting at her usual spot. Lunch isn't anything particularly special, it's just a royal cheeseburger, using gouda and cheddar cheese. We used the oil left from pan-frying the bacon instead of cooking oil for frying the eggs, too, just for a bit of extra flavoring. Lastly, instead of normal buns, I went with something a little extra just for today and used pretzel buns.

"Do you want to take a picture?" I ask, with IF laughing.

"I'm not a teenager eating at a fancy restaurant for the first time." IF says as she sits down. "But… maybe one picture for Compa."

"Ah, I'll melt a bit of butter and brush it on top of the pretzel buns. Should give it a nice little boost to the presentation."

"You don't need to go that far."

IF then takes out her phone and takes one or two pictures before putting it away.

"Hey, don't eat over there."

"Hm?" I ask.

"Come over onto this side of the counter. You're not a server right now, so you should sit on this side."

"If it really means that much to you…?" I say with something of a curious tone, moving to sit on IF's left side. "Hm."

"Is it so weird to be on this side?"

"Kind of, actually." I say, sliding my plate over in front of me. "Well, let's eat. Sorry about not having any fries, that was an oversight on my part."

"It's fine, really. Besides, this is already kind of indulgent for me."

"Haha, alright. But let me know if there's anything you'd like to cook. I should have it in my repertoire."

I then take the ketchup and drizzle a bit on the underside of the top bun before repeating the same with the mustard. I notice IF only uses the ketchup.

"Not a fan of mustard?"

"Hmm, not really."

"Ah, I understand."

"Really?"

"Ahaha, yeah. My girlfriend in high school was really picky about her condiments. I swear, it was a real hassle to order takeout sometimes." I say with a bit of a chuckle as I put the bun on the top of my burger.

"I've heard about her a few times now. What happened to her?"

"Hm? Oh." I pause, putting the hamburger I was about to eat back down. "Well, we broke up, is all. I think both of us realized that a long distance relationship wasn't something we wanted, so when she made the decision to go to university and I was going to stay here at the cafe, we both had a talk and decided to break it off."

"What does she do now?"

"Ah? Oh, she's a reporter and journalist for a news organization in Leanbox. Actually, if you said the press is coming to the Goddess Gaming Exposition, she might be here this year. Last I heard she's managed to claw her way up the chain to where she gets sent to these kind of events now. Maybe I could ask her."

"You don't talk frequently?"

"Well, we keep in touch. Sometimes we both manage to both catch a free moment and are able to have a chat, but usually we just leave voicemails for each other."

"Aww, that's kind of sweet."

"What do you mean?" I ask before finally taking a bite out of my burger. Ah, that's good. Turned out all right, I think.

"Well, some people might just use email, you know? The fact you two at least leave voice mails for each other, it's almost like a letter, but well, with a voice."

"I didn't think of you as the type to think like that."

"Hey, I hear enough complaining about my coworker's boyfriends and girlfriends to know a few things." IF says with a somewhat annoyed and forced smile. Probably she gets used as a sounding board for all of their complaints.

"Ah, right. But yeah, I'll ask her about it when I call her next time. It's soon, isn't it?"

"Mhm. Another three weeks, and it'll be here. Did you get all the emails, or…"

"Oh, yeah, I did. Kei sent me everything I needed. Unfortunately Jeffrey can't fill in, so I'll be putting up the fliers around the shop tomorrow to let everyone know I'll be closed during the gala day as well as the day before, as I'll be preparing. I'm surprised they got the clearance done so quickly."

"Well, it's only you, after all. Besides, your record's about as squeaky clean as they come. Well, almost."

"Oh no, did you…"

"I didn't know you got into a fight."

I scowl visibly at this while looking up at the ceiling, IF laughing in the background.

"Care to explain?"

"My at the time's girlfriend ex came around and started annoying her. He wouldn't leave, so I pushed him a little bit. He didn't take too kindly to that and started throwing punches. I, uh, pretty much got beaten up, but I threw a good punch once or twice." I say, thinking back on it. "I didn't really mean for it to escalate, but it just did."

"Didn't take you as the type to lose your head like that, though."

"Well, I guess you could say I was blinded by love." I reply, laughing a little bit. "When Gregory says that Melanie and I used to be the sweetest thing, he meant it. I swear, you probably could get diabetes just by watching the two of us. Or at least my friends would always complain about it and tell us to get a room."

"That explains a lot about Noire." IF says, going for the snipe. I just roll my eyes which only serves to make her laugh.

"So yeah, I probably just lost my cool because well, I was really head over heels for her around then." I say, closing my eyes and smiling. "How about you, IF? Anyone like that?"

"Not really." She mumbles. "I, uh… well, I guess I just lived a really lonely life before I got involved with Nep. It's a long story."

"Mhm." I say back, not really sure how to respond to that.

"But hey, better late than never to have friends, right?"

"Definitely."

"Uh, so, topic change to something happier?"

"Haha, that'd be appreciated. Or maybe we should eat first, before everything gets cold."

"That's also true. Race you."

"Hey, not fair!"

IF is already halfway done with her burger, so I try to catch up, to no avail. All that really happens is my hands get covered in ketchup and mustard mixed together from this whole mess, resulting in three napkins getting used to clean them off.

"Very rude."

"Totally worth it." IF says, snickering as I finish wiping off my hands. "Thanks for today, Elliot."

"Of course. I was the one who offered, after all." I say, stacking our plates up. "See you next week, then?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah."

"Ah, let me box up the scrambled eggs you made earlier, too. I'm sure you'd like to take those home."

I then take the tray and plates back, putting the plates in the sink and finding a takeout box that I can put the scrambled eggs into. While these are more meant to hold breads, I suppose it'll have to do.

"And there you go. Any requests for next week?" I say, handing the box over to her.

"Hmmm…" IF pauses to think after getting up from her seat. "Well, chicken is actually really cheap to buy, so do you think you could do a chicken dish?"

"Let's see, does broiled chicken sound good for something simple? That one takes a trivial amount of time, so I think we can also do chicken fried rice for two dishes to add to your list." I then pause, reaching over for the register and grabbing the list of the ingredients and step by step instructions for today's dish and handing it over to IF.

"Oh, thanks. And that sounds good. Er, actually, do you could do something that's more sandwich based?"

"Ah, we'll do a chicken salad rather than the broiled chicken, then."

"Mhm, thanks. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow, IF."

She smiles as she opens the door out. "Good luck in your dungeon run with Noire today."

"Oh put a sock in it!"

IF only laughs as she leaves, walking away from the store as the door closes behind her.

The next week passes by without much incident, where we do cook those chicken dishes. For the week after that, though, I wanted to try something a little more ambitious.

Namely, some lasagna. I figured that it was something IF could make in batches, allowing her plenty of leftovers. She could also potentially freeze it and save it for later, plus it made for a good power punch lunch.

Additionally, to make up for the fact we won't be having a lesson next week due to the convention taking place this upcoming weekend, I decided we could at least bake some chocolate chip cookies.

"Sheesh…" IF mumbles as I continue to stir the dough. "You've got some endurance."

"Haha, well, maybe it's because I'm used to it. I don't really think I can compete with you in say, running a mile or something."

"Maybe. Or maybe you should take a few days to go running instead of playing online."

I roll my eyes at the jab, putting the bowl down on the counter.

"Still though, it's pretty impressive how you have all of those recipes memorized."

"It's probably just because I've done them so many times. It's not really actively on my mind, it's just… there. Oh yeah, did you make a list of what you wanted yet? I know you mentioned you'd get it to me soon."

"Oh, right. It's in my jacket, but I'll get it after this."

"No rush, no rush. Anyways, let's just scoop this out onto the tray, and then we'll be good to pop it in the oven and wait for all the food to be done."

"It's crazy how you do this every day, though."

I laugh as I hand IF a scooper for the cookie dough. "Well, it's why you do it in smaller tasks or whenever there's lulls in the day. Also while we're doing all of this by hand, there are a few machines in here that help alleviate that. Mixers, blenders, everything like that helps lower the actual physical burden."

"When do you take care of it, though? You're always usually chatting with me whenever I drop by." IF asks as we start scooping the dough out and putting it onto the baking tray, already lined with a baking sheet.

"It's usually around the dinner hours, I think. I'm not really a good dinner spot, or actually just after lunch, too. Usually that's when I get a chance to dip into the back and prepare all the flour and dry mixtures, or when I mix everything together to prep for the next morning. When I wake up, I can just do the finishing touches like scooping the dough like we're doing now, and put it in the oven just in time for people to come in for. It's not exactly easy, but you know, someone's gotta do it."

"Mhm. Well, I'm glad you do it, then."

"Haha, thanks."

"Though, it'd be nice if you had someone to help you out, huh?"

"Ah, I guess it might be, but it is kind of hard to find someone who'd want to wake up that early. It's easy for me because I really love the shop, you know? If I was looking to expand, I guess I'd consider it more, but I'm fairly content with what I have here. Or if my usual traffic increased, then well, I'd also think about it."

"I see… I guess that makes sense. Ah, do you want help washing the dishes, though?"

"No, I'll be fine. It's not that much, anyways. And I remembered to buy a plastic container for any leftovers so you can take them home."

"You didn't have to, you know?" IF asks as I take the now empty bowl away and put it in the kitchen. "Besides, I should've bought it."

I wave her off while turning on the sink and letting hot water fill the bowl. "It's not like plastic food boxes are expensive or anything."

"Yeah, but you've got your shop to look out for. I'd feel bad if that could have been going towards a rainy day fund or something. Er, not to say that you'll have one, but you know…"

"Haha, I get it, I get it. Don't worry, I'm doing well right now and you shouldn't worry too much about my finances, IF. Besides, with the upcoming convention, I really won't have to worry for some time. Seriously, Kei was really generous with the commission."

"If you insist… I'll find a way to make up for it sometime, okay?"

"If you really want to. But I'm still a bit sad you won't be taking the day off. At least do me a favor and sneak out of your shift a bit to dance with Lady Neptune if there is one?"

IF rolls her eyes as I turn the sink off. "You know, you of all people shouldn't be telling me to skip out on a shift."

"I guess so. Alright, I'll open up the oven, just pop the trays in there and we'll be good just to wait around for them to finish."

IF then nods, taking the tray into her hands. I open the oven, preheated up to three fifty degrees, and she slides the tray in. Afterwards, I close the tray, and the two of us head out to the cafe area to kill some time.

"You know, maybe I should look into another job."

"Hm?" I ask, somewhat caught off guard by IF's statement. "Isn't that a little too sudden?"

"Huh? Oh, well, you know. In case something happens while I do guild work. I won't deny that it's dangerous, so knowing what I could do as a fallback would be good."

"Ah, I guess that's true. What were you thinking?"

IF smiles as she gives me a small nudge on the shoulder. "Well, maybe I could learn to be a baker."

"Haha, well, you're a very responsible person, so if you ever wanted to, I wouldn't mind having you here. Though, I think your talents would probably take you other places. Maybe you could just be a teacher for new guild members?"

"Maybe, but something tells me if I decided to get out of working for the guild, I'd want out entirely." She says with a shrug. "It's probably nothing to worry about, anyways."

"I hope nothing happens to you, then…"

"Thanks for the concern, but I'm usually pretty good about gauging what I'm capable of." IF then flashes a fairly confident smile. "I mean, it's the same for you, right?"

"Ahhhh, I suppose so. Fields of expertise, and all."

"Yep. I guess it'd be the same as you looking at a recipe and knowing how hard it'd be to try to do it on your first try."

"Yeah, but unlike you fighting something, I have multiple tries."

"Well, that's just how it is, right? Besides, that's all just something to consider when taking a job, anyways."

"I guess… I still worry, though."

"I'll be fine, Elliot. Trust me on that much, okay?"

"Alright, I will."

"Good. Oh, right, the list."

She then digs through her jacket and pulls out a small wad of paper, unfolding it as she hands it to me. I take it and give it a run through.

"Okay, let's see… I can definitely do the croissants and the danishes. Oooh, might have to cancel my dungeon run today, or at least run really fast to the Saul-Mart if you want those All-In Cookies, I'm out of pretzel bites. I can do the other cookies, though…"

"Ah, if it's too much of a bother, don't mind it."

"Well, it's not too far of a walk. The Saul-Mart is open late."

"Tell you what, how about I just buy you a bag and drop them off with you tomorrow, since I'm requesting it."

"Oh, that'd work, too. Just give me the recei—"

"I'll cover it." IF says with a tone that means there will be no arguing.

"R-right… okay, the muffins are very easy to do as well—no blueberry? Well, I guess you might not be a fan. And lastly the pies and cakes, yes, I'll make those beforehand. You better be walking around a lot, IF, otherwise your waistline might be in danger."

IF gives me an eyeroll at that. "Don't worry, I won't have anything better to do than wander around for a few hours."

"And of course, all of the coffee, but I should be able to brew a lot of it there as well, for some extra freshness as per the agreement with Kei. Oh, I'll bring some hot chocolate as well in case someone doesn't want coffee, and maybe some tea."

"How are you planning on bringing all of that, though?"

"Ah, Kei is sending someone to pick it all up the night of the event, so don't worry about it." I tell IF, who nods. "It is rather exciting though. It'll be rather high end for the clients I usually handle."

"You're not too big into catering, from what I remember."

"Mhm, but I have done it on occasion when requested."

At that, we both turn back to the kitchen as a _ding_ sound breaks the conversation. That'd be the lasagna and cookies finishing baking.

We head into the kitchen and retrieve all of the dishes. Unfortunately, I forgot to grab garlic bread from the grocery store, so we made do with some toast that had some garlic seasoned onto it. While the cookies cool off, IF and I bring the lasagna tray to the counter, where both of us cut a slice for ourselves.

"See? You can cook. It just takes a bit of time."

"Well, I guess I never did imagine being able to cook something like this before. Thanks, Elliot."

"Haha, my pleasure. Besides, maybe once you get into cooking, we can just start trying new dishes together. Could be fun."

Before IF can answer, both of us pause as there's a buzzing sound. IF checks her phone and shakes her head, but when I check my phone, someone's calling. Ah, it's Kei…? I know she gave me her number for when we were discussing the terms of what I'd be doing at the convention, so I hope this isn't anything like a cancellation.

"Hello?"

" _Good morning, Elliot. I hope I'm not disturbing you."_

"Um, not in particular. Um, what's this phone call about, Kei?"

I glance at IF, who nods, and quickly excuses herself from the cafe to give me some privacy. I reach for a pen and some notepad paper I keep behind the counter just in case, ready to write down any notes.

" _First, I'd like to apologize for the sudden call, but it's urgent."_

"Er, it's fine." I say, still not used to her overly stiff kind of voice.

" _Second, I have a few questions for you, and would like for you to answer them to the best of your ability."_

"I'll try."

" _Understood. First, you are aware of the gala event at the Goddess Gaming Exposition, yes?"_

"Yeah, it's what's happening while I'm serving in the break room."

" _Second, and you're also aware that the goddesses have someone to accompany them?"_

"I've been told that, yes. What does this have to do…"

" _Some urgent business has come up on my end. I normally accompany Lady Noire to this event, but due to this business I will not be able to. It might reflect poorly if all of the other CPUs bring someone to the event and Lady Noire arrives all by herself."_

"I can see why that'd be the case, but I still don't quite understand—"

" _As for what I am about to say, can I have your word that you will keep it a secret?"_

"Kei, you know I…"

" _I am aware of your inability to lie. However,_ please _, for your own sake, do not reveal what I am about to ask of you to anyone."_

"I… I'll try."

" _I suppose that is the best I can ask for. You are the only one I can turn to for this, as you have struck a friendship with Lady Noire in the past month or so and you are likely the only person she would agree is suitable for this. Therefore, I'd like to make a request of you. Would you be able to take my place as Lady Noire's accompaniment to the gala?"_

* * *

 **Surprise.**

 **Welcome to what all this fooling around with Noire has been about lol and everything I've been like "teeheehee guess what's coming". Okay, that's only about half true, but I won't deny that reaching this point had half to do with why I went with all these shenanigans regarding Noire in the first place.**

 **A very tight chapter, I would say, much more focused between IF and Elliot, so I didn't feel a need to make this one go very long, as the next segment is broken up into rather long chapters. I think a break was needed, or at least a small breather, in the Elliot and Noire focus, mostly just to take a step back and go to the roots of where it all began. Sort of like a, even though Elliot is making friends with the CPUs and whatnot, it always comes back to his friendship with IF.**

 **Had a bit more backstory about Elliot, namely his ex-girlfriend and what happened with them. I kind of liked the idea that Elliot only had one blemish on his record rather than it being completely squeaky clean, with it being him getting over his head. Perhaps that is foreshadowing to his current situation, haha. I still don't plan for her to appear or really have much of an on-screen presence (like a phone call or something), as I still really like her being this "ghost" character that simply has caused things by merely having existed.**

 **Also this chapter was just nice pacing wise, in that despite all of the Noire shenanigans, it seems like Elliot is having a normal life… right before Kei calls in and turns all of that upside down, haha. Good job, Kei.**

 **Anyways, that's all I had to say about this chapter. Not too much else. Let me know what you think, and see you all then!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:** Wingman

* * *

"IF, I need to tell you something." I say as she comes back into the cafe and the door closes behind her. "And I need you to keep it a secret."

IF doesn't say anything, she just nods, sits down in front of me, and then nods again as if to tell me to speak.

Sorry Kei, but… there's just no way I can do this alone. I have to tell someone I trust, and if there's anyone I can trust to help me with this, it's IF. She's got to have some way to help me here, I know it. Even if she can't, at the very least, I know she'll say something that will help me destress, and I know there's no way she'll leak it out.

"Please… don't laugh, okay?"

Another quiet nod. Her attention is fully on me.

"I just got a call from Kei. It seems she won't be able to accompany Lady Noire to the gala, so… she's asked me to go for her since well, Lady Noire and I are seemingly friends and she doesn't want Lady Noire to go alone because it might be something that tabloids try to spin."

I close my eyes, ready to at least hear a chuckle and see a smile on her face after I open them. But there's nothing. When I open my eyes, I only see IF already thinking, her arms crossed.

"I see. No wonder you look so pale."

"Kei asked me to keep it a secret, but…"

"Well, good job." IF says, but with a smile that says she's just trying to add some levity to this situation. "Don't worry, I won't say a thing."

"Thank you so much…"

"Alright, but _you_ need to keep _your_ own mouth shut. Look, the press is going to eat this up, okay? I've been around the block a few times. What'd Kei tell you?"

"She said that since I agreed, she'd ask Lady Noire, and if she agreed, then we'd get everything set up. Um, Lady Uni also wouldn't be able to fill in, because the Candidates—"

"Yeah, they basically pair off with each other, anyways. Probably easier to get the okay from you first for the first part, Noire might be a bit wishy-washy about this and flipflop before you had the chance to say yes." IF says, nodding to herself. "Alright, this means we need to worry about several things. First, when you get the chance, ask Kei what it means about your deal."

"Oh, she said that I wouldn't be penalized and I'd get to keep the payment. They'll even pay extra for the pastries if I deliver, as they'll just get coffee from a franchise."

"Okay, that's good. Second, we need to think about a suit. Probably a rental considering your budget, but I imagine Kei's going to contact you again and get this sorted out. Tell me if she doesn't pay for your suit, I'll go set her straight."

"But wouldn't…"

"I know I'll be revealing that you spilled the beans, but Kei knows she can trust me."

"A-alright."

"And third… sit down and finish eating. While it's a bit silly to tell you to calm down and stop panicking, nothing good is going to come out of you standing there, jittering around." She says with a calming grin. "Come on, just take a deep breath or so, and enjoy the meal you worked on."

I just quietly nod and move to sit back down next to her, resuming my meal in silence.

"Don't worry, Elliot. I'll help you every step of the way. This is a lot to drop on you, after all." IF crosses her arms, huffing. "Seriously, I'm going to give Kei some serious flak over this. While I understand the move, it doesn't mean that it's _right_. She should've taken you into account."

"Not exactly sure what you mean by that."

"I mean… it's one thing if she asked me, you know? I've worked with all of the CPUs for some time, I'm kind of known for being one of their public associates, and I'm used to being in the spotlight whenever something goes down." She says, waving her fork around. "But you on the other hand, you've only just really met them, what, two months ago? You're not at all used to being in the public spotlight or anything like that. While Kei probably had Noire's image and whatnot in mind, when she's in her full business mode, things like this tend to slip away from her."

"Ah, I see. I guess I can't really blame her, though."

"I guess not, but it doesn't mean I can't be annoyed."

"Though, I'm just a bit surprised you aren't teasing me over it…"

"You looked so pale that I thought you were about ready to throw up. I'll tease you later, when everything's set, but right now you're a friend, and you asked me for help. That always comes first."

"Thanks."

I look to the side as I feel a hand on my shoulder, seeing IF nod when I face her.

"But like I said, Elliot, I'll be with you every step of the way."

I can't help but smile a little bit despite the stress of the situation. "Thanks, IF. I think I can rest a little easy, knowing you've got my back."

"When is your shop closed, by the way, this week?"

"Oh, uhhh, I was going to close on Wednesday so I could have all day to prepare for the gala on Thursday night. I didn't close Friday, though, since I assumed I'd be well… working after."

"Hmm, that might not be enough time… but it'll have to do. I wouldn't want to make you close up early."

"Why?"

"Well, we need to get you fitted for a suit and also teach you how to dance. Vert's probably going to pull some kind of shenanigans again this year and the last thing you want is for there to be a dance and you looking like a fool with Lady Noire."

I can feel my heart skip several beats at the thought of not only dancing with Lady Noire, but dancing with Lady Noire in the public eye. Oh no, this isn't good. I should just immediately retract my yes from—

I hear my phone buzz and check it. A text from Kei…

" _I apologize for the text, but I don't have time to make a call. Lady Noire has given her approval. Will you be available at four o'clock today to discuss further details?"_

I gulp, feeling all the drive to pull out immediately leave me.

"What's up?"

"Lady Noire just said she's fine with it, so… no turning back now."

"I guess not, huh." I see IF pause before she gets up from her chair. "Actually, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere, really. I've just decided to give Kei a piece of my mind. You should probably get a bucket handy, as well. You seriously look like you're about to throw up from the stress."

"H-hey, you don't have to…"

"It'll help in getting things sped along. And look, it'd be a different case if it were one of the goddesses or someone we usually rope into our messes. But… it's you, Elliot. You know, you're just… a normal guy. Er, not that that's a bad thing, but maybe it's just how I've always tried to protect people, you know? And if I can't keep you _out_ of this mess, I can at least do my best to make sure you get out of it safely." IF says as she starts walking for the door.

"I don't really think there's a lot of danger here though…"

"Well, it's not like 'a monster broke my arm' danger, but remember how you had a lot of attention on you after the goddesses visited?" I quietly nod at her question, knowing where this is going. "It's going to be a _lot_ worse after this. So I'll just make sure Kei knows who she's bringing in."

"Um… I'm no one particularly special, though."

IF puts her left hand on her hip, turning away from me as she scratches her hair with her right hand in an annoyed fashion. "Ah, geez, it's really embarrassing to say, so are you really going to make me say it?"

"Sorry."

"I'm going to let her know that she's bringing one of my friends into this, so she better make sure not to mess this up. Seriously, that much attention and scrutiny on you if something goes wrong won't be good for you or your shop."

I again, feel at ease at hearing this. It's not every day I see IF so fired up about something. I'm actually really touched that she's really taking this to heart.

"I should be back in an hour or so." IF says as she opens the door. "Just stay calm, alright? I'll get everything sorted out."

"Thank you…"

She smiles back. "Don't thank me just yet."

* * *

"What… did you say to her?" I ask after Kei leaves the shop, having come to deliver a personal apology, along with having already sorted everything from the suit to my transportation out and everything I could possibly think of, so she actually also called off our four o'clock meeting.

"Just a reminder that you're not like the people she usually deals with." IF says with a smile that tells me there's probably more to that, but I also shouldn't ask anything about it.

"T… thanks?" I say, completely blown away by how out of her way IF's gone for me. "I, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. Just looking out for you."

"When this weekend passes by, whatever you order from here on out, it's on me. For life."

"Let's not be hasty, Elliot. But… maybe for just a week." She says with a small smile back. "Now all that's left is to handle your dancing skills, just in case."

"That's probably going to be the hardest part." I mumble as she leans back. "I have no skill in dancing."

"Well, I still remember when you were cleaning in time to the music." IF says as I sink my reddening face into my hands. "So you've got some rhythm in you."

"I don't think I can learn how to dance in three days, though, and I still have to work which'll reduce the time I have to learn."

"It's fine. I'll call in a friend to give you a crash course."

"Who's your friend?" I ask, with IF holding up a finger to silence me as she dials someone.

"Hey, Blanc. Are you busy right now?"

I feel my heart skip a beat before I give IF a "Wait, no!" look, but she just shakes her head.

"Ah, no, it's just a favor. Yeah, Elliot suddenly asked me if I knew anyone who could teach him how to dance. Yeah, just something basic, I think is what he was looking for. Nothing fancy, really. It was kind of out of nowhere, weirdly enough. Eh? Well, yeah, I uh… okay, yes his shop is closed today, but it's not like—ah, geez, look, can we get back on topic? Huh? Why'd I ask you? Er, I figured you'd probably know the most about it after Vert. Hm? Why not ask Vert? Okay, do you _really_ want to leave him and Vert alone for more than ten seconds? She'll eat him alive!"

I open my mouth to protest, but IF is on the phone and I suppose that I would be too nervous around Lady Vert, anyways.

"He's usually free in the evening, since there aren't a lot of customers. Alternatively there is tonight as well, since he's off on Sundays. Ah, do you need his phone number, or… yeah, I should have it. I'll text it to you, then. Haha, no, of course it's not for me. Okay, I'll pay you back for it sometime, just let me know when you need a favor. Thanks for the help, I know you must be real busy right now."

IF then puts her phone away, giving me a thumbs up.

"You're terrifying."

"Not the response I was expecting, but thanks?"

"Sorry, it was just… wow, that was fast."

IF smiles. "Well, it wasn't much. Ah, I do need your phone number. I don't think I ever asked for it, strangely enough."

I grab a nearby notepad and a pen and scribble it down. "Probably because we talk so much here, you know?"

I see IF take her phone out again, probably sending a text to Lady Blanc. Wait, does this mean I have to dance with Lady Blanc?

"Elliot, take a breather. You're going to have a heart attack, and you're too young for that."

"I'm gonna be—"

"Taking a dance lesson with Blanc, yeah. The realization is written all over your face. Nothing you need to stress about. Unlike Nep, she won't tease you, unlike Noire, she's pretty direct, and unlike Vert, she won't… be Vert. She's pretty good about understanding situations, so if something happens like you trip on her, she won't hold it against you."

"Alright…"

"Just don't talk about her chest though. Bit of a sore point."

"Wh—"

"I know you won't, but just so you're aware." IF says with a small shrug. "Let's see, anything else we need to worry about for now… hmm, nothing coming to mind."

"Thanks again for all the help."

"Well, it is technically work, anyways." IF then pats me on the back. "Don't worry, I'll get you through this in one piece. That's a promise."

Before I can say anything, I hear a buzz. IF checks her phone and shakes her head. I check my phone, finding it's a text from Lady Blanc, asking if I am available tonight for lessons. I look up at IF, who seems to understand, and she nods.

I tell Lady Blanc that yes, I am available tonight.

" _Is seven thirty in the evening fine?"_

" _That will be fine, Lady Blanc."_

" _Very well. I will see you then."_

"She's a lot more curt than Lady Noire, huh?"

"Ah, yeah, not too much of a talker, but I think that'll benefit you. Only issue is your hours, though."

"Well, I can put up a sign saying that due to the scale of pastries I need to make, I need extra time to prepare and thus need to close early."

"Could work, yeah. You sure your customers will take to it well?"

"It'll only be one week, and I don't have too many who come here late, plus they already know what's coming up. If I close at eight o'clock, then it should be fine. Usually it's just you and a few others who really need a coffee late at night, is all."

"Alright, just making sure. I wouldn't want you to lose out on any business because of this mess."

I give a small laugh before smiling at IF. "It's okay, I'll weather it out. But thanks for the concern. Oh, I should package all of the food for you, in case you have to go."

"Save it for yourself, Elliot. You're going to need as much time as you can get, and having a meal ready for you should help that. But… maybe the cookies."

"Coming right up, then."

* * *

"Left hand a bit lower. Right hand should be a bit higher—but don't change the angle of your elbow."

Lady Blanc is a surprisingly good teacher and, much to my comfort, so much less stressful to be around. It almost makes me miss being in school.

 _Almost._

"Don't worry about your left hand."

"S-sorry, it's just…"

"I'll let you know if it's too low. You'll be doing it as an accident, after all. Right?"

"O-of course, Lady Blanc."

Granted, it's not like I'm _un_ stressed around her. Dancing is a… surprisingly sensual thing, despite only being a simple waltz which is about as stuffy as I think one can get with dances.

I gently put my hand to just above her waist, getting a nod from Lady Blanc.

"Okay, now, take the steps. It's very much like a box."

I nod, stepping forward with my left foot. Lady Blanc shifts her right foot back in time. Right foot, then, slide left foot to close…

"That's the first half. Now just do it again, but in reverse."

"Okay."

Right foot back, then left foot, then right to close.

"Good. Are you comfortable doing that to music now or would you like to practice some more?"

"I think we could try it with music now."

Lady Blanc nods, letting go of my hand. I quickly put my hands back at a neutral position as she fiddles with her phone that was left on the counter before nodding. After a while, a soft classical tune starts to play.

"Ready?"

I nod again as Lady Blanc steps in. I force myself not to take a step back as I put my right hand out for her to take. Just like before it's incredibly soft and it almost makes me want to ask what kind of lotion she uses, but it's probably way out of my budget. My left hand is cautiously put just above her waist, where she doesn't seem to complain.

"With this dance, it's done in patterns of threes."

I nod, trying to find the timing in the song. I think I can see it…

"I think… I think I got it."

"Okay. Step forward on the 'one' beat of the song."

"Got it."

...two, three. One, two, three, one, two, three…

"Good job." Lady Blanc says as I lead her around the space I cleared out for the cafe, making my steps in time with the music. "Don't rush. Keep in time with the music."

"I, I'll try, Lady Blanc."

I manage to lead us around the 'box' of waltz a few times, slowly getting the beat down and no longer rushing my movements. Lady Blanc does correct my posture a few times, making sure that I don't move my right hand too often so that way my shoulders stay in the right position.

"I have a question." Lady Blanc says after some more practice.

"Um, I'll try to answer it."

"Why did you want to learn how to dance?"

I make the first misstep in a while, letting go of Lady Blanc's hand and pulling away because of it. I should have been prepared for this question, but I was hoping she wouldn't ask…

"Er… do I have to say?" I ask, hoping that she'll give me an out.

She shakes her head 'no'. "You don't. I was only curious."

"Then, I won't say. I'm supposed to keep it a secret." I mumble, looking away from her.

"And you're a bad liar." She says in a very matter of fact way. That one kind of hurt to hear, even if it's not a bad thing. "I won't ask."

"Tha… thank you, Lady Blanc."

"Well, other than one question. If you wouldn't mind indulging me, of course. You don't need to answer."

I nod, thankful she's so considerate. She really gives off an 'older sister' vibe even if she has the look of a younger sister with her height.

"Is it for someone we know?"

"Um… well, um, I guess I can say yes."

I know I didn't have to answer it, but I felt almost pressured too, because she's been so understanding. I'd feel bad if I didn't at least let her know something.

I see the smallest smile on Lady Blanc's face before it vanishes as she returns to her usual neutral expression. "I see."

I hope I didn't give away who it was for, but I know I didn't give away bringing Noire to the gala with that answer. I feel though, that it wasn't Noire, because she could've asked if it was a goddess. Asking 'someone we know' feels more… outside their group.

"Anyways." She then has a rather stern expression on her face. "Don't let go if you make a misstep. You can still recover."

"R-right!"

"Let's try again."

I approach Lady Blanc again, taking her hand and putting my left hand by her waist as always. I listen for the music and move in on the 'one' beat.

"You have a good ear for music."

"Well, the jukebox has been in this cafe for some time…" I say with a bit of a smile, remembering how cool I thought it was the first time I ever saw it.

While it was clearly a dated piece of furniture, there's always the appeal of something that's old, and it really fits in well with the aesthetic here. I could never bring myself to get rid of it.

"Do you listen to it often?"

"Sometimes my customers like to use it, but I generally only use it when I'm alone or I'm cleaning up at the end of the day."

My focus breaks as I'm talking, with the natural consequence being that I misstep and am a bit late to the next beat. Before I get let go, Lady Blanc grips my right hand hard, preventing me from escaping.

"Don't completely break off. Just wait for the next one beat."

"Got it…"

I gently place my hand by her waist again, listening for the one beat, and then resuming the dance.

After a few more minutes of the simple box maneuvers, Lady Blanc teaches me a few other basic steps, but to be honest, they don't seem all the basic.

"Alright, we're also going to try talking."

This of course, ends up breaking my focus, causing me to step out of the rhythm.

"Sorry…"

She shakes her head. "Don't be. You've been good at quickly grasping the basics, and I imagine you'll try to practice on your own time as well. However, I imagine that if you say, were to happen to dance with others watching, you'll find yourself heavily distracted. You'll need to learn how to move with distractions."

"I… I see."

I feel a bit bad, as I think she's gotten the wrong idea. Judging by their reactions so far, I would hazard a guess that they think IF is taking me along to the gala, as opposed to Lady Noire.

"Let's try it again, but this time you'll be a bit more aware."

I nod. "Right!"

"I won't warn you when I'll start talking, so make sure to pay attention."

Once again, we count off and start dancing to the beat of the music. I try to focus on dancing, but also looking straight ahead. It's a bit difficult though, because the goddesses really are all very beautiful, so I keep finding myself getting flushed when looking at them directly in the eye or end up just looking slightly away from them.

"Is something wrong, Elliot?"

"N-nothing's wrong, Lady Blanc."

"You won't look at me in the eyes. You're always looking over my shoulder."

"I… I'm just trying to make sure we don't bump into a table." I say as I lead us into a forward progressive step.

"You're still a bad liar."

"Mghgh…"

"You can be honest with me, Elliot."

Her tone is strangely comforting, with her 'elder sister' vibe really coming off strong, so I can feel my guard sinking. Eventually the pressure from Lady Blanc overcomes my embarrassment.

"Y… you are very beautiful, Lady Blanc, so it's hard to look you straight in the eyes." As I say it, I can feel my cheeks immediately flame up at how I scandalous that was. I should immediately apolo—

—though, before I get the chance to, the dance is interrupted because of a misstep on Lady Blanc's part, but she manages to catch herself and put us in time with the music, though now she's glancing away from me.

"Honesty is a brutal weapon, I see." Lady Blanc whispers.

However, after a few seconds, her impassive look returns and she looks me right in the eyes, not breaking her gaze away.

"Look at me, Elliot."

"Ri… right."

I force myself to look into Lady Blanc's eyes, finding myself reflected in them.

"Elliot."

"Y-yes, Lady Blanc?"

"I have meant to ask, have you ever considered traveling abroad to expand your menu?"

"A bit, but these days I don't have a lot of time for travel." I say, managing to keep in time with the music while still keeping eye contact, as difficult as it is.

"Understandable. Well, should you ever find an opportunity, do consider coming to Lowee. You'll find many shops that might give you inspiration."

"I see. Thank you for the tip, Lady Blanc. Is there any I should look out for in particular?"

"There's one bakery called _Fluffy Clouds_ _Bakery_. They carry a few goods like you, but specialize more in cakes and pastries."

"I'll remember it for later. Thank you."

She quietly nods after that. Time continues to pass by, where Lady Blanc brings up a variety of topics to keep me on my toes, but thankfully avoids the topic of either IF or Noire. By the end of it, I feel alright with dancing the absolute basics.

In addition, she left a book in my care that I can read up on until tomorrow's session. Truth be told I'm a bit scared to open it, purely because I really, _really_ do not want to damage this one.

Once I'm cleaned up, I go back up to my room upstairs and lie down in my bed, already exhausted. I really just want this whole gala event to be over, so I can go back to my normal life. Back when I don't have to worry about the press, big events, and everything like that, including hiding who I am. While it could be fun, I definitely don't want to have to do things like this on a regular basis. Even if I could potentially get big if I didn't hide myself like IF said I should, I'd feel bad.

It'd be kind of like cheating, I guess. People wouldn't come because of how good it was, they'd come because they wanted to see well, me, and why I was apparently with the goddesses. And while I'd appreciate the extra traffic, it just wouldn't feel… genuine? Yeah, that's the word.

My thoughts are interrupted by my phone ringing. An unknown number?

"Hello?" I ask after answering it.

" _Ah, hey Elliot. It's me, IF. I don't think I actually ever gave you my phone number, huh?"_

"No, you just asked for mine and sent it to Lady Blanc."

" _Sorry, it slipped my mind. How was it?"_

"Learned a few basics. I don't think I'll be a complete laughingstock now."

" _Well, that's good."_

"What's up with the call?"

" _I had your number since I gave it to Blanc earlier, so… just thought to check in. See how you were doing. If it's a bother, I'll stop."_

"No, the concern is appreciated. Just a tiny bit stressed, is all. I just want the gala to come and go already, then go back to my normal days."

" _Don't we all, huh? Well, hang in there just a bit longer, okay? I'm here for you."_

"Thanks, IF. Anything you want me to prepare for you tomorrow?"

" _Mhm, maybe a cherry and cheese danish."_

"I'll keep some warm, just for you."

" _Don't stress yourself out over it, but thanks. Want to talk about anything else?"_

"No, I think I'm actually just going to go get ready for bed now."

" _Alright. I have a few other things that we can do to bury your identity for this, but we can cover them tomorrow."_

"Uhh, sure, but just give me any of the bigger ones?"

" _Ahhh, just things like having rental car and planning out a trip to go with it. It'll make it look like you really went on vacation. I'll drive it for you though, and tick up the odometer so if anyone gets really nosy, it'll look like you were out."_

"What's the pricetag at?"

" _Don't worry, while your name is going to be on it, you'll be reimbursed."_

"Alright, thanks. Anything else major?"

" _I think that's the biggest one? There's not much we can do at the last second, I guess."_

"Alright, thanks."

" _Well, good night then, Elliot."_

"Good night, IF. And thanks for all the help."

" _Don't mention it."_

With that, I end the call, holding my phone close to my chest. Really though, IF, it means the world to me that you're helping me out with this mess. I almost feel really confident that everything'll turn out okay since you're helping.

"Right! Should get ready for bed now…"

It's going to be a long week, huh…

* * *

 **Teeheehee.**

 **Sorry for the slight 1 day schedule slip. I had a tabletop game last night, which is why I missed it.**

 **I had quite a bit of fun with this chapter. Thought it was a good place for a kind of friendship moment, where when Elliot is clearly stressed, he turns to IF, and instead of doing the teasing thing, IF simply went into "it's go time" to try to help him out.**

 **Might have been pushing it to have IF push Kei into helping so quickly, but I thought it was kind of like an offscreen moment of awesome where a fired up IF goes all out. Second was the Blanc dancing scene, which originally was a lot shorter than it was, but I went back and added more to it such as the scene where Elliot tells Blanc to her face that she's very beautiful. I did like the idea of Blanc getting momentarily flustered by having it said straight to her face while dancing with someone, but thought that it was in her character to quickly snap out of it and be able to focus back on the lesson at hand. Then, I think after the Noire Gala Arc, I'd like to focus on Blanc as the next friendship target, so I laid some groundwork there.**

 **I think Blanc was an all right choice for the dance lesson, though. I couldn't really think of anyone else who would be more appropriate off the top of my head? I picked her as she seemed like she would know something about it, and of course, I'd peg Vert as someone who knew about dancing, but obviously IF isn't going to let Vert and Elliot be alone, because as she puts it, "Vert will eat him alive".**

 **Overall mostly just a friendship chapter; I liked having the team of IF and Elliot working together to get Elliot through the gala, with a side scene from Blanc just to set them up as friends. And preemptively no, don't ship Blanc and Elliot lmao. I tried to write them off as friends, which was also cued by Blanc smiling when Elliot admitted he was learning to dance for someone else.**

 **Speaking of dancing, waltz actually isn't that hard. Take that from someone who learned ballroom dancing lmao. Or at least, when you aren't competitively dancing it. Good to know skill. Anyways, next time, it's THE BIG ONE. It's like, currently 1.5 times the size of my normal chapters and it isn't even done yet. Well, seeya all next time!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:** Black Swan

* * *

"And that should be the last of them." I say, checking off the clipboard, having observed everything being loaded into the truck to be taken into the gala. I then hand it to the driver, who nods.

"And… everything looks good."

"Mhm." I say with a nod. "Well, good night, and thank you for taking these up."

With that, the driver gets back into his truck and goes off. I sigh, heading back into the shop, where I lock the door behind me. Tonight's the night, huh…

I head upstairs and get changed, into a tuxedo that is probably worth more than all the stock I sell in one week. Geez… this thing is _incredibly_ light, though. And it makes me feel way more important than I actually am. A small time baker shouldn't be wearing this tux, who _should_ be wearing it is some like, handsome devil of a spy who would waltz into the middle of a bar where half the people in there will kill him if his true identity leaks, where he then seduces some woman and walks out of there with his head held high. Which is _not_ me, for the record.

"Do I really need this, though…?"

IF handed me a bottle of cologne yesterday, though I haven't used this since like… prom in high school. She could've picked an at least less embarrassing perfume line, as this one's labeled _Sexy Silver_. When I looked it up online, I guess it had lots of raving reviews and was used by a lot of famous celebrities, but really what made me hurt on the inside was the price tag.

I spray a bit on my wrists, then rub it on my neck. It definitely smells… kind of manly, I guess? This definitely is way out of my league.

Ah, right, my contacts… alright, got them in their case.

IF also had me get eye changing contacts. This way, instead of searching for some dark brown haired, brown eyed individual, they'd be looking for a dark brown haired, green eyed individual. Of course, the tuxedo, the cologne, all of that would help mask my true identity. Who would think the man who ran a small cafe down the street could afford all of that, anyways? Especially with the prices of this stuff! Regardless, I won't be able to put them in until later though, in order to get through security.

As I wait around for the time, I hear my phone ring. Ah, it's IF.

"Hello?"

" _I should be arriving in a few minutes. You ready?"_

"Just about."

" _Don't forget your badge to let you in."_

"I won't." I say, making sure it's still in my inner jacket pocket. "Already got it."

" _Contacts?"_

"I've got them."

" _Okay, good. See you in a bit."_

"Alright."

I then go downstairs, into the cafe, and make sure everything's ready for my departure. Shoes that shine way too much on, tie's doing okay, I don't even know how much this silver watch on my left hand is worth, eyes are definitely still brown but they won't be later, and I'm fairly certain that hair styling cost more in one session than I spend in an entire year for haircuts.

Part of my preparations were making as much as I could for Gregory, who will be taking over the shop for the weekend and then the week afterwards. I couldn't tell him why I needed him to be there, but IF was on the phone, as a Guild agent, she vouched that I could not tell him why I needed someone to cover the shop for a while. He was hesitant to do it at first, but once IF got involved he understood that something was going on that involved me, so he said yes. I felt terrible for it, but IF assured me that he'd understand. IF also asked him that if he was asked why he came back, to say he wanted "to remember what the shop was like" for a week and a half.

Between the times I was preparing as much as I could for him though, I practiced as much as I could for the possibility of a dance. This included a very basic routine that Lady Blanc taught me which wasn't anything more than a small application of the basics. I'm still terrified of the prospect of having to do it, but... I guess it's there.

Another part of those preparations was renting a car. IF drove that car around for a while in order to tick up the mileage just in case anyone checked for it. This way, there was a record saying I had rented a car, and we went with one that was clearly not a luxury model, and it would look like I had driven around quite a bit. With the total mileage, it would look like I had probably just driven around to some of the parks around Planeptune to go sightseeing, having taken it out of the main city area. And since those parks didn't you know, check, since they were public parks and whatnot, there was some deniability.

Thus, it would give the appearance that I had already departed as of Wednesday or Thursday, and then would not be coming back until _well_ after the event had ended. This would mean it was less suspicious, since if I had returned to work right after the expo had ended or the day after the gala, it might create connections. The plan would be for me to just go hiking or something, maybe go camping in the woods, so that way I didn't have to spend much or anything like that.

Which, I suppose that the driver tonight was someone handpicked by IF. Likely someone in on the whole charade. I was slightly concerned, but IF says that they boast a very high resistance to leaks, and since she was personally involved, no one was going to try to screw her over on this one. So, I guess that it's okay that the driver saw that I was clearly here tonight.

I still thought this was overkill, but IF said it was all necessary to protect and hide my identity. I even withdrew some cash so I could claim any expenses I had were paid for in cash to avoid a paper trail. Geez...

Either way, a few minutes later, I hear a motorcycle arrive. Of course, it's IF, who's dressed a little differently than usual. She's in a full pantsuit underneath her signature blue jacket. I step outside and lock the door behind me, waving to her with my free hand, the other holding a thermos.

"Looking good, Elliot."

"S-shut up, IF." I mumble. "I really feel like a doll in this."

"Haha, I'm serious, though. You should suit up more often. I bet it'd really get Noire's attention."

I grumble at her teasing as she hands me a helmet. "Sidecar?"

"Yeah, figured I'd at least give you less stress than having to hold onto the back."

"Thanks." I say, offering the thermos in return. "Here. Brewed just a bit for you."

"Oh, thanks. I wasn't expecting that." She says while tucking it into a sidemounted cup holder, smiling as I put the helmet on. "Let's get going then. You don't want to be late for your princess."

With that, I get into the sidecar. After IF checks we're both good to go, we take off towards the hotel next to the convention center—the _Iris Gem._

Security checks weren't too bad, though as soon we're in, IF has me go put the contacts in right away, guarding the single occupancy bathroom just to make sure that no one will get the idea of who I really am. We also go to the security area, where IF gets her earpiece for her to use.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." I say, blinking a few times. "Looks good?"

"Nothing wrong from my end, eyes are as green as they should be. Let's get you to the staging area."

I definitely am quaking in my shoes the whole time, but since IF is security and can use the backdoor passageways, we can dodge most of the people who are already walking around. Not that there's too many, anyways, considering how we're in the "backstage" area of the hotel, likely cut off from the general public for things such as security operations and general event overviewing.

"Wow, even the reverse side of the elevators, too." I say in a bit of surprise as IF pushes the call elevator button. We're in the basement, but the R on the floor "number" B is enough to tell me where we are.

"Are you really that surprised?" IF asks, chuckling as we step inside.

"I feel like we're in a spy movie, is all."

"Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. Alright, but general plan is you'll be walking in from the first floor, not the ground floor. Big staircase that splits in two, so the goddesses will be dividing themselves up. Really up to them who goes where, just so you know."

"Oh, so there's an unplanned segment, that's great. I already knew about the walking down, but that's wonderful."

"Just roll with the punches, I guess." IF says as the door opens to floor one. We both flash our badges, letting us through. "Floor one, business offices and a lot of amenities. Ballroom's on the lower floor."

"You've stayed here?"

"I just know the layout from all the planning. But, I have stayed here on occasion when Nep brings me over." She says, shrugging as we walk along. "Ah, there they are."

I almost didn't recognize them at first, because I was expecting the goddesses to be in their well, normal form, not in their… goddess form, or as some people call it, HDD form.

Every part of me is screaming to run away, that I'm way over my head, but I push on regardless. I told Kei I'd do it, and I'm not running away now.

"This is Coffee Girl to Central, come in, Central." I hear IF say as we walk, into probably her ear piece she got earlier. "VIP Black Hawk has been escorted to Core Processors. Understood, Central. Thanks."

"Status update?"

"Just letting them know you got here safely. Hey, Nep."

IF gives a small wave as show up. I realize then that Lady Noire's the only one not here yet. All of them glance at each other before turning to look at us.

"Um, hello."

I'm at a complete loss for words, which apparently makes IF chuckle as she lightly elbows me, bringing me back to my senses.

"Er, hello, Lady Neptune—er, wait, is that Lady Purple Heart now? Sorry, I'm just so terribly confused right now and—"

I can feel my heart stop as a single purpled-gloved hand places itself on my right cheek, instantly shutting me up with its silky feel. I force myself to look into her shining blue eyes, trying not to be distracted by that _incredibly_ low cut dark purple dress of hers that really compliments her now elongated and braided hair.

"It's okay, Elliot."

Oh by the Goddesses her voice has also dropped a few octaves.

"You can call us whatever you'd like."

"Stopping messing around, Nep. He's already nervous as it is." IF grumbles, with Lady Neptune withdrawing her hand, though she takes her sweet time with it, her fingers tracing their way off.

"I'm sorry, Iffy. We don't get to have fun like this that often." Lady Neptune, which if I have to be honest, is a title much more befitting of the regal sounding and looking person in front of me rather than her usual form, says with a disarming smile.

"Where's Nepgear and the other candidates?"

"They're off to the side."

I'm taken aback slightly by what I assume is Lady Blanc's voice, though it's a lot gruffer sounding than in her usual form. Her hair's turned a shade of light blue which matches her dress, along with bangs growing up to past her chest area. In fact, it almost looks like a wedding dress, although there's a big blue ribbon and sash that comes her right shoulder.

I follow her gloved pointer finger though, seeing a familiar face. Nepgear is surrounded with a few others that I don't recognize, but they're all in fancy dresses. Two of them are twins or appear to be, which I'm sure must be Lady Rom and Lady Ram, the CPU candidates of Lowee. The silver haired one there must be Lady Uni, the candidate for Lastation. Accompanying them though, is Compa and two others, though I assume that those must be Chika and Financier, as I was told about.

Lady Nepgear waves to me, which I return before feeling eyes drilling into the back of my head.

"Oho, two-timing, I see?"

"P-p-please don't mi-misunderstand, Lady Vert." I stammer out. "We're just acquaintances."

Lady Vert's dress is much more of a wedding dress with a slight green tint to it, I suppose, as it has frills in the places one might imagine them to be in a wedding dress, along with showing off what I could only say is a scandalous amount of leg, so—

"Vert, come on. You're going to give Elliot a heart attack."

I quietly thank whatever force is watching me, as surely it is not the goddesses right now, that IF is here with me to help me.

"Huhu, only teasing a little bit."

"Where's Noire, though?" IF asks, glancing around.

"She's… oh, there she is."

All eyes turn down the hall, where what I assume is Lady Noire is walking down. Unlike her usual outfit and appearance, her hair has turned a deep, shining silver, let down and flowing around her. Her dress is fairly simple, just a single black dress that's a little more translucent in some areas and splitting open around her thighs for it to be easy to walk in. She's wearing black heels that she seems comfortable walking in and matching black gloves to top it all off.

"Go get her, tiger."

"Wh—IF, wait—!"

But it's too late, as IF gives me a bit of a single-handed shove towards Lady Noire. I stumble for a little bit, almost tripping over my own feet, but manage to catch myself before I can tumble into Lady Noire.

"U-um… hi."

"E… Elliot, is that…"

"G-good evening, Lady Noire." I say, finally managing to recompose myself. "You um… you look splendid tonight."

"Thanks…"

Her voice isn't too much different. Maybe a little more energetic and fired up and a slight bit lowered in pitch, but it still sounds a lot like Lady Noire.

I look back to my left when I feel a slight nudge, seeing IF giving me a thumbs up. "IF…"

"You're on your own from here, Elliot." She says, patting me on the shoulder. "I'll be watching over the ballroom from the balcony, so if anything goes wrong I'll be right down. But I know you'll do fine."

"Thanks for all the help, IF." I say, looking right at her when I say so she'll know I really mean it. "I really—"

"Ah, ah, not yet. I still got work to do. Thank me when it's done with. But, catch you on the other side."

"Yeah."

"Hey, Nep, sorry I can't hang out for too much longer, but security needs me to be at my post, and I need to grab a snack. I'll be down later, though, if I can weasel out." IF says, going back over to Lady Neptune as I turn back to Lady Noire.

"Er, should I call you Lady Black Heart, or…"

"Noire will be fine."

"Are you sure, but…"

"They might think of you as a competitor trying to gain an edge, or as a company I'm favoring if you're so formal with me. You're a friend, so…"

"Alright… Noire."

"A-anyways! Let's go over to the others. We're supposed to walk down soon."

"Right!"

"My, my, what an interesting development." Lady Vert says as the two of us walk to the rest of the goddesses together, where their other accompaniments have also joined them. I can practically feel the stern gaze coming over from Lady Blanc. Er… it couldn't be that she really was invested in the idea I was asking about how to dance for IF, could it?

"Kei was out on an emergency and he's a friend."

I quickly nod after Lady Noire's statement to back her up.

"Huhu, but it's a bit like cheating to bring a man."

I simply look away, trying to find something to distract me so I don't have to look like I want to say something in reply. It doesn't help that yes, I am indeed the only male accompaniment here.

Though, fortunately, I don't have to say anything as it seems like we're already being moved into position for the cameras. The CPU candidates will go first, then us. Lady Noire and Lady Blanc will come in from the left staircase, so we move over there.

"Kei never mentioned it, but are you fine being called Elliot?"

This was always a tricky topic, since it'd be suspicious, IF said, if I tried to go by a different name and clearly wasn't responding to it. But on the other hand, Elliot itself isn't a very common name. Though, IF noted they'd likely be looking for a man named Elliot in Lastation, as all the usual accompaniments are from the CPU's nation.

"It should be fine. IF said it would be. I trust her."

I nearly jump out of my shoes when I feel an arm wrap around my left arm.

"Nervous?"

"Ju… just a bit, Lady Noire."

"Noire."

"Noire." I repeat back, noticing we're about to start walking.

Oh no, oh no, this isn't good. My feet feel like they're glued to the ground and then encased in concrete. I shouldn't have done this, I could've said no, oh no, please just wake up, please just wake up and let this all have been a terrible week long dream.

"—liot!"

I'm broken out of my thoughts by Lady Noire's calling of my name.

"You look sick… are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"I'm… I will. I promised I would. I'm just a nervous wreck, I'm so sorry, it's..."

"Then, how about we talk about something to calm you down? Stop focusing on all the press. Like… Four Goddesses Online?"

"What about it?"

I see her close her eyes for a second before she reopens them. "Well, we couldn't play this weekend due to the convention, but we did have that next boss at Fiyar Mines, right?"

I feel Lady Noire tug me forward. Despite the sudden heaviness in my legs, I can feel myself walking.

"Yes?"

"Alright. I'll walk you through the basics of the dungeon, then."

"Okay."

"Let me know if you don't understand."

I nod as we keep walking down the stairs, keeping a fair amount of distance from Lady Blanc.

"I will, La—Noire."

"Alright, so obviously it's a volcano dungeon, so we're going to run into a lot of enemies weak to ice."

"I get the feeling there's a but in there."

"Yes. It's a bit counter-intuitive, but there's an enemy in there, the Elder Matango, that is weak to lightning."

"Huh, go figure."

"What's really confusing is that they're on fire themselves, so you wouldn't think to use lightning on them." She says as we continue walking, now down the stairs and being assaulted by flashes of light. "Quick, why do you think that is?"

My attention is pulled away from all the cameras as I try to think about it. "I'm drawing a blank."

"It's in the lore, if you found the monster manual booklet page like I've been showing you. We grinded at the Sea of Trees for what, two hours to get two of those rare drops?"

"Yeah, that was an afternoon, alright." I mumble, not really liking the whole 'rare drop' grind for that page. We had to run that dungeon multiple times, too, since we'd run out of healing potions or something and would have to leave.

"If you read their entry, you'll find out that they were originally buried under the rock and have only broken out recently. However, they're still plant based, so they still burn. The enemies in the volcano do use fire, so they catch on fire, but have kind of gotten used to it, so they have some resistance to it. Lightning ends up just igniting them. "

"Seems a bit convoluted… they're already on fire, but they're weak to what sets them more on fire?"

"I agree that the entry could use a bit of work."

"Maybe a steam monster could have worked? It's hot water, so fire isn't as effective, it's also still water, so ice wouldn't work very well, but it's again water, so your first instinct would be to use electricity."

"Oh, that's actually pretty good, Elliot. But maybe they just wanted to trick the players, too."

"Maybe. But huh, I should read those more often. I just thought they were for collection value."

She shakes her head. "Not at all. Some of them contain hints on how to defeat the bosses."

"Wow… guess I have a long ways to go before I can catch up with you."

"Hmph. Well, I _have_ been playing since the beta days." She says with a bit of pride. Or a lot of pride, it's rare that I see this side of Lady Noire. "Anyways, let's break down the dungeon by room, so you know where you should be positioned."

"Got it."

We continue to talk, breaking the dungeon down into small parts. Understanding each room's encounter, how to pull the aggro properly, where the adds are, how to deal with the miniboss… it gets to the point I don't even realize we've already made it into the center front area of the ballroom and are going to be seated until Lady Noire points it out.

"That's a scarily effective strategy." I say, prompting a laugh out of her.

"Don't underestimate the CPU of Lastation."

Fortunately, most of the events after being seated and whatnot are speeches and whatnot. I try to pay attention, but really this is the stuff I'd probably hit the mute button on if I was watching it on TV. Mostly I just glance up at the balcony that's overlooking the ballroom and try to spot where IF is. I can't really see her from here and I don't want to look behind me since that might call attention to us.

We do get served dinner, though, and along with that some wine. I try not to drink too much as not to impair my judgement for the night, but do have a few sips just to make conversation. Lady Noire fortunately manages to deflect anyone who inquires about me, saving me a few heart attacks.

"You better not have tried to sneak in a dance this year, Vert." I hear Lady Blanc mutter under her breath.

"Oh of course not, not _this_ year."

"I don't like the sound of that." I hear Lady Noire whisper.

You know, this gala thing, I don't really get why there needs to be a dance, anyways. I guess it's a good way to get people talking to each other and interacting in kind of a non-awkward way, since it is a bit awkward if you had to suddenly drop in on a conversation at another table to say hello to someone else you knew.

"Besides, it's too difficult to organize a full dance for everyone."

"At least something got through your thick head from last year."

"It was rather lively." Lady Neptune chimes in. "Though, if there is a dance, we _are_ at a significant disadvantage~"

Lady Noire and I pause as all other pairs of goddesses and accompaniments, who have mostly just been keeping the chatter to themselves, look at us.

"She'd definitely steal the show." Lady Blanc says, looking straight at me. Please, forgive me, Lady Blanc, but it was a 'just in case'. The other goddesses give nods of agreement, and the others only give me awkward smiles, not knowing what to say in this case.

"Wha—hey, don't just go quietly nodding like that, Neptune!" Lady Noire yells, causing Lady Neptune to chuckle.

I want to laugh, but I think I'm far too paralyzed by thinking about whether or not there will actually be a dance and whether or not I'm going to mess up in front of hundreds of people while doing so.

"Well, there isn't an organized dance this year." I still don't like the smile on Lady Vert's face. "So you got a little lucky."

I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Ho? Could it be you don't want to dance with her?"

"Wait, no—"

"There _is_ a bit of live music with the orchestra there. I'll go ask them. After all, there's a bit of space that's currently being used just for standing around. Maybe you can prove that you wouldn't reject our dear friend's invitation for a dance."

"You took the bait." Lady Noire says as Lady Vert gets up, a smug smile on her face.

"I'm sorry." I mumble, glancing away.

"It might turn out okay… maybe."

Of course, it does not turn out okay, as shortly after, Lady Vert's accompaniment gets up to meet with Lady Vert, who promptly begins dancing with her in a small clearing in the crowd.

This is swiftly followed by Lady Blanc and Financier, the latter of the two looking slightly concerned, then Lady Neptune and Compa, who is giving me a scrutinizing gaze, thus leaving only Lady Noire and I at the table as a few other couples go up to join them. And that leaves us with… no choice, I guess. Kei did bring me here to help Lady Noire save face so…

I quietly get up and glance away, offering my left hand. "N-noire, if I might have a dance."

"You don't have to force yourself, Elliot."

"I know, but… it's what Kei asked me to do, right? Besides, I took a class."

Lady Noire shoots me an incredulous look.

"IF mentioned Lady Vert pulls these things off, so… I figured I'd be ready."

I almost jump out of surprise when I feel a gloved hand take mine.

"Just a short dance, then." She says, standing up as she steps next to me.

"We'll wrap up as soon as everyone else does." I say, somehow finding myself taking the lead and starting to bring her over to where the others are.

"Though, if you just hadn't taken the bait…"

"Sorry." I say again as we reach the others.

"So… you know how to dance, then?"

"Just a bit. Er, just let me know if my hand is too low, okay?"

"What do you—hiiii!" I see Lady Noire jump a little bit as I lightly put my hand against her back. "A bit of warning next time!"

"S-sorry, I just, I was just, just muscle memory, s-sorry…" I say, putting my right hand up. It's not exactly in beats of three, but I think we can work with it. "Er, may we begin, L… Noire?"

"M-mhm. I'll follow your lead, then."

I begin stepping in time with the music, just like Lady Blanc taught me. One, two, three. One, two, three. Box formation…

"You're not half bad."

"It's just the basics, though."

"Since when did you start taking lessons?"

I mentally thank Lady Blanc for having drilled me into being able to dance while talking. "Just this week, actually. Right after Kei asked me to cover for her."

"You're a quick learner, then."

"Well, it is all just basic things, right? Only a few steps."

"Still, you went out of your way for me. And so quickly, too." She says back, looking away from me. "I'm… I'm a bit touched."

"I just wanted to do the best job that I could, Noire."

"I see… but, no matter what anyone says, I think you did a good job."

"The night still isn't over yet, though. I've got to hold out, right?"

I see Lady Noire smile very widely at that as she turns her gaze back towards me. It takes all of my focus not to misstep to the timing of the music, as it caught me incredibly off-guard not just with the timing, but also with how enchanting it was. It was truly a smile that belonged to someone who could lead a nation, with how it sparkled under the chandelier lights.

"Um, though, after this." She suddenly says, breaking our locked glances.

"What do you need, Noire?"

"If you wouldn't mind visiting every now and then. I-I know you're a busy person, but… with the conference over…"

Ah, that's true, isn't it? They were only in town to help plan this out, so when it's all over, they'll mostly be back in their own nations. It's not like they can visit daily or weekly, and I wouldn't want to put so much pressure on them to do so. She's a really nice person and a good friend, too, so…

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

Somehow, I get the feeling I might have just locked myself into an impossible task. I can already see IF's laughing face now when I inevitably tell her about what I said to Lady Noire.

"Is something wrong, Noire?" I ask, tracing her gaze to the other goddesses near us.

"It's just… we are dancing, but…"

The others are clearly enjoying themselves more. Maybe it's because they're with friends who have been with them through thick and thin, and this is more of a vacation for them. Meanwhile, this is… a bit of a business transaction of sorts. Kei thought that it'd be the best choice and so, well… it happened. We're both kind of weighed down by this 'have to appeal to PR' mentality that we have around us, while the others are seeing this more as a relaxing time. Not to mention that we're both trying to make sure that my true identity doesn't leak out.

"Then… let's do something that's more than basic?" I say, swallowing my fear with an audible gulp.

"Are you sure?" She asks, probably knowing that I'm absolutely terrified right now. Like I have been all night.

It feels just like when we were at the mall, going there as friends. It was so suffocatingly awkward until we could find something to break the ice. Here it's the same. We're both trying not to trip over each other, trying to keep some strange image up. As someone who's apparently one of Lady Noire's friends, surely I can let myself be a little looser.

I close my eyes and try to forget about all of the cameras, the eyes, the whispers about us. I try to think about the lessons with Lady Blanc, just the two of us in the cafe, learning for this moment. I try to think about how much work IF put into this, so I would have some breathing room. For a moment, I try to imagine myself not as Elliot, the baker and cafe owner, but just as Elliot, Lady Noire's friend. Although, that last one is a bit tricky, so I can't go that far.

"I'm… sure. Do… Noire, do you trust me?"

"You know, when you say that, I feel like we should stop while we're ahead."

But as she says that, I notice her glance over to where Lady Neptune is currently having the time of her life with Compa, the two of them constantly twirling around each other, laughing without a care in the world.

What IF told me comes to mind. That Lady Noire has a bit of a hard time being honest with herself.

As if it were a divine sign, I finally spot IF out of the corner of my eye, leaning up against a pillar and looking down from the balcony above. She seems to have noticed me and gives a thumbs up before bringing her hands up into a ballroom-dance like pose with a smile.

Alright, IF. I'll try.

"Do you trust me, Noire?" I ask again, feeling as if I have IF's support this time.

"I do, but…"

"Then… let's try."

I force myself to look into Lady Noire's brilliant blue eyes, seeing myself in the tinted reflection. It's even harder this time, considering that while they're beautiful in their normal forms, when they're in their goddess form, there's something even more otherworldly about their beauty that leaves me lacking words to describe it. I still want to avert my eyes, nonetheless, out of sheer embarrassment alone. But I try to keep myself looking ahead, hoping that Lady Noire will see my sincerity.

"Alright. You seem to know what you're doing. Let's go." She says, keeping her own gaze locked onto mine.

Her voice definitely feels more fired up this time, despite its reduced volume so the others won't necessarily hear us. There's a small grin on her face, too, almost anticipating leaving this horribly suffocating atmosphere.

I can feel my right hand gripping hers just a little more tightly so it won't slide out from all the movement, my calloused fingers intertwining with hers, soft as fresh dough. My left hand pulls her in just a little bit closer, as I was keeping a bit of distance, unlike how Lady Blanc had me practice. You could barely squeeze in a book between us, that's how close we are now.

Surely, my cheeks are radiating so much heat that it'd triple my air conditioning bill if I were in the shop for five minutes. Surely, the anti-perspirant is being pushed to the brink with how nervous I am. Surely, there are a hundred thousand people asking what's about to happen.

But as long as I still remember what Lady Blanc taught me, I'm fine.

"One, two, three. One, two, three." I count under my breath. "...two, three."

Tonight was originally about making sure Lady Noire saves face. But after a while, I think we've both had enough of that. Now it's about making sure she at least gets to have fun with the others. I'm sure we've both stressed out about this. So, surely… we can relax just a bit, right?

It's a bit faster than before, or maybe it's just that instead of taking it easy, we're going at full speed, keeping in time with the music. As I've taken the lead, Lady Noire's feet move to match mine. A conversation made up entirely of twitches, leanings, and momentary glances on where to move next.

Maybe it was the wine we were served. Maybe it was the fact that I saw IF, knowing that she's got my back. Maybe it's that I still view this as an extension of the coffee shop, like I did on the day we both went out. Maybe it's just that I thought it was unfair she didn't get to enjoy herself like her friends.

But for a little while, there's only Lady Noire ahead of me, following the lead that Lady Blanc trained into me during the past week. Just like when I learned to bake, when I learned to make coffee and several other drinks for the first time, when I learned customer service, everything I was taught runs through my head. Mental counts of the beat, a meticulous attention to detail about my foot placement.

It's just like baking, before. If the recipe book called for twenty four minutes in the oven, it was always twenty four minutes in the oven. If it called for three cups of cake flour, it should be three cups exactly, and of the proper type of flour. Accept no substitutes. When you can't do it by feel yet, it's just the best thing to do for now, right?

One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.

It's sweltering, moving under the chandelier lights. My own coffee shop is kept rather cool, so I'm used to those conditions while moving around all day. But despite the endurance I have from the shop, I can already feel myself starting to get a bit exhausted. All of the other people around us contributing heat isn't helping, probably.

I can feel myself breathing a bit harder. I can hear Lady Noire trying to keep up as well, and sometimes depending on the angle, I can feel her breathing. It's incredibly embarrassing, but I just… have to keep myself together for a few more seconds.

Before I know it, the basic routine that Lady Blanc taught me comes to an end. With it, my focused drive ends as well, as I suddenly become hyperaware of the fact that Lady Noire is being held up solely by my left hand which is around her waist, as I'm leaning down over her much like a stereotypical ballroom finish. I can practically feel all of the gazes on us, having suddenly taken the spotlight, and even can hear what is surely a gasp from Compa.

"You can't… call that just the basics." Lady Noire breathes out as I freeze up, unsure of what to do. However, I settle for pulling us back to a standing position and bringing us back to our normal distance and posture, trying not to think about the yelling at that I'm going to get from Kei.

"It wasn't anything more than just the basics, though." I say, trying to convince her that was the truth as we go back to just doing simple box steps. "It was just a lot of basic steps chained together."

"Still… I'm impressed. All that in a week?"

Truth be told, it probably just looked fancy because most people aren't into ballroom dancing. But it was nothing more than a few forward steps, a promenade thrown in every now and then, and a few turns to make sure we didn't stray too far. I didn't even do anything fancy like that move they always do in the movies where I hold my hand up and she twirls underneath it.

"It really only is the basics, Noire."

"You're going to ruin it if you keep saying that." She says, a slight pout on her face as she looks away. However, I can see her smile for a second before she notices me glancing, in which she resumes her pout.

"Well, I am a bad liar…"

"Then I'm just not going to question it anymore." She says, closing her eyes as if to give a non-verbal 'hmph'.

"Alright." I say, glancing back up at the balcony to look for IF. I spot her again in the same spot where I see her start golf clapping when we lock eyes. Afterwards, she flashes a thumbs up, which I manage to see before I look back down at Lady Noire.

"Still… thanks."

The mood definitely feels a lot lighter now. Almost like everything's going to turn out okay.

"Though, do you want to sit down?" She asks. "You look like you could use some water."

"The lights are rather hot…"

"Ah, geez, you should've said something earlier! Come on, let's go get you something to drink!"

Though, I don't know if she saw, but I caught the big smile on her face as she dragged me off by the wrist away from everyone.

* * *

Fortunately, I'm not forced to go back out onto the dance floor, as I think Lady Noire and I have had enough of the heartpounding stress that looking back on what we did actually caused in us. She does however, keep Lady Neptune and Lady Vert away from their attempts to drag me out onto the floor themselves, as I don't have enough of a spine to say no to them. I was also very glad to have her there to further shoo away anyone who wanted to ask who I was.

Soon enough, the gala eventually ends, and everyone is filtering their way back home. Lady Noire brought me up to the first floor so I'd be out of the way of the press, so we're just looking down from the staircase at the crowds filtering out.

Besides, it's not like I had transportation of my own out of here. IF was the one who was going to cart me away, and that'd be off to some random hotel in the Planeptune region where I'd lay low for a week before coming back to work. However, IF did say to keep my mind open, since she said she did arrange for us to also go to another nation if the heat level generated from this event was high enough to warrant trying to place me in an entirely different nation for when this event was supposedly happening.

Ah, there she is.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lady Noire asks before I can take a step towards the ground floor.

"Um… out?" I say, realizing that Lady Noire might not have been informed of IF's plan to keep my identity under lock and key.

"Are you _nuts?_ The press is going to eat you alive out there!"

"Going home?" IF asks, apparently having overheard us as she walks into the conversation, finishing climbing up the staircase. "Well, 'home', anyways, considering the plan. And it's fine, Noire, we've got everything sorted out. They won't get a bite out of him."

I did kind of object to the whole 'being under house arrest' part of the plan, but considering how IF wants to make sure I don't slip up anywhere, I guess it's fine, but still.

"I mean, it shouldn't be too hard to go back, right? Can't we just use the back entrance that we came through?"

IF pauses, holding up a hand to stop us as she talks into her earpiece. "Hey, Central, status on entrance 'Northern Wind'? Alright, got it. Keep me posted on any other ones that free up."

"What's up?" I ask, IF shaking her head.

"Too many eyes all over the place. Looks like the press really wants to know what's up. So much so that all of the press vehicles are causing a traffic jam, hoping they can catch a glimpse of you. Caused quite a stir, huh? Not just the gaming news, but basically every news outlet was made aware of one mysterious bachelor that Black Heart brought out of nowhere to the gala." IF says with a small laugh. "Best bet's is to stay here for the night. You guys have room up in the penthouse for the goddesses, right? I don't think you'll want to leave him alone with the candidates and the other accompaniments, since otherwise Elliot really could drop dead of a heart attack with their interrogation."

"We should, but I don't think there's any beds leftover." Lady Noire says.

"Shouldn't be a problem, shouldn't it~?" Lady Vert says as she passes by, interrupting us. Lady Noire then starts yelling at her, leaving just IF and I to talk.

"Well, I at least look like your secretary, haha." IF says as she crosses her arms. "It's fine, they should have a sofa bed up there, I think. Worst case, I'll walk back and get a sleeping bag. Oh, but you don't have a change of clothes, though."

"This suit _is_ pretty comfortable."

IF rolls her eyes. "I'll see if I can't find something for you. It's the least I can do to help, considering how I was going to escort you out. If you can't find anything, just ask the staff for a bathrobe."

"Thanks."

"Also, ten out of ten on your dance. Didn't know you had it in you."

I can immediately feel my cheeks heating up as IF laughs. "S-shut up. I only did it because you helped."

"Huh? Me?"

"Y-yeah, I just thought about you giving me a bit of encouragement to help Lady Noire loosen up, you know?"

"Ah, geez… now it's my turn to feel embarrassed." IF mumbles, scratching the back of her head. "R-right! Well, we should get up to the penthouse for now while we plan out our next move. Hey, Noire, bring him up, will you? I'll be up there shortly. And try to keep Vert off of him."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Lady Vert asks, though it's clearly a baiting question.

"Anyone ever teach you to keep your hands to yourself?" IF asks as she walks away, reaching for her earpiece. "Hey, this is Coffee Girl, need a bit of a favor…"

"Let's… go up then?" I ask Lady Noire, who nods before leading me into the elevator.

The penthouse is… my goodness, it's practically a _house_ of its own, and this is only half of it as the other half is probably just a mirror to this one. Several large rooms that are likely bedrooms, there's a hot tub out on a balcony, a spacious central area that's got a sofa bigger than the counter I serve at along with a matching TV, all in a fantastic array of colors. It's truly breathtaking, and I would probably need to save for ten years just to afford one night here.

"Whoa…"

And they've even put coffee dispensers here, too. Based on the notecard, they prepared this just before the event ended. It almost feels like a sin to smell it after I get a cup of it.

"Do you have a change of clothes, though?" Lady Noire asks as I hand her a second cup.

"IF's working on that."

"She's done a lot for you, hasn't she?"

"Well, we're friends, right?"

"Mhm." There's a pause before I feel a slight tug on my sleeve. "I've said it before, but thanks. It, well… normally Kei does this, so it means a lot that you went through with all of it. And I had a lot of fun tonight, with the dance."

"We're friends, after all. Think of it as me paying you back for introducing me to Four Goddesses Online."

"This is worth a lot more than that, though."

"Please keep the change then, Lady Noire."

"It's fine to keep calling me just 'Noire', Elliot."

"But I—"

"Do I have to tell you specifically to call me 'Noire'?" She asks, putting her free hand on her hip.

"...alright, you win."

Sheesh, it can be like arguing with IF sometimes. She's about just as stubborn.

The two of us knock the paper cups of coffee together before each having a sip. It would be a small exaggeration to say that I'm crying from this cup of coffee, but it is _delicious_. The kind of stuff I wish I could brew myself, a taste and texture that's still out of my reach. I'm sure Gregory could reach it, but as for me, I don't know. It'd be a few years before I could make something this good.

"Though, I don't know if it's wise to be drinking coffee so late at night." I say with a chuckle. "Oh, I should go look for the bathroom. I wouldn't want to intrude on any of you while I'm here. That, and well, I kind of…"

"Just go."

"S-sorry."

After I find the additional bathroom (which in itself has a full tub and is stocked with soaps that I think are worth more than all the flour I go through in a month) and use it, mostly because I've been holding it in since I left the bakery and I needed to remove my contacts. When I come back, I find IF looking around the central area.

"Hey."

"Oh, hey. Noire went to go wash up if you were looking for her. Gotta look her best for you at all times, you know?" She says while I roll my eyes, holding up a plastic bag, though she's got another in her other hand. "It's no pajamas, but uh, it's the best I could find. They had a souvenir store so, you know."

"How much do I owe you?"

"You _don't_ want to know, and trust me when I say that it's being pulled from the security fund. I'm pretty sure these things are silk, though, or at least the shirts are. I think so, anyways. I don't actually own anything silk, but these shirts are so soft I'm sure they have to be."

IF then tosses me said bag, which contains a really baggy, oversized souvenir shirt, along with a pair of sweatpants.

"The hotel sells sweatpants?"

"I mean, they've got exercise facilities. Someone forgets one, might as well buy it here if you can afford to stay here." She says, holding up the other bag, which I assume is her own pair as she probably doesn't have any on her. "Couldn't do anything about spare underwear and socks, though."

"True, and you don't have to worry about that." I say, putting the bag down and going out to the balcony after retrieving my coffee. I see IF get herself a cup before joining me. "How was tonight for you?"

"Really boring, actually. But hey, I got paid, and nothing happened, so I can't ask for much more. Besides, I got to see a real interesting show. Takes two to tango, eh?"

"H-hey, I already explained it to you."

"Yeah, I figured. You two looked like you were having the time of your life. Been a while since I've seen Noire smile like that, you ladykiller."

"You know, you could've been having fun like that." I say, deciding to ignore her second comment.

I see IF sigh, looking away. "...I guess, but you know. I was needed. Next year."

"Is that a promise?"

IF rolls her eyes and head as if to exaggerate. "Yes, it's a promise, and sure, go ahead and hold me to it."

"I will, then."

"But when you say you could've been having fun like that, are you going to dance with me next year?"

"W-wha, that's—"

I hear IF laugh at my flustered reaction, though when I look at her, she looks a bit embarrassed at her question as well.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but tease you a little. But dancing with someone like that's a bit embarrassing. I'd rather just hit the chocolate fountain they had down there."

"Well, you'd have to dance to make sure the inches don't go straight to your waist, right?"

"Crap, you're getting better at this." I hear IF mumble.

"I do have a good teacher."

IF snorts, but it soon becomes a few chuckles. "Well anyways, everything went off without any major hitches tonight, so frankly that means this event's a resounding success in my book."

"I guess that's true. Where are the others?"

"Taking their sweet time, as always. They're probably fooling around in the elevator landi—ah, hold on, that's my phone. Excuse me."

IF leaves the balcony, so I face outwards and look at the city lights. Geez… it's been a crazy few months, huh? From realizing IF works with Lady Neptune, to meeting all four goddesses, to becoming Lady Noire's friend, to now…

Man, I would never have thought this would've happened, not even in my wildest fantas—

"Guess who~"

A voice speaks to me after gloved hands cover my eyes from behind and pull me back a bit.

"Coffee! I've got hot coffee, please don't make me accidentally spill it over you!"

I slowly put the cup down on top of the moveable table that was out here by feeling for where it is, trying to control my breathing.

"I-I'm okay now, Lady Purple Heart."

"Hmhm."

"I… is there something you need from me?"

"Well, I was just _curious_ about the man that Noire would so boldly bring to the gala to show everyone. Someone so _brave_ that he'd also lead her to the dance floor and have a rather _sensual_ and charged waltz with, too. You won't mind if I inquire about a few things, would you?"

"O-of course not! Ask away!" I say, feeling absolutely terrified to say anything else.

"Fufu. Our talk earlier was so rudely interrupted, so—"

"NEP!"

I hear IF shouting, followed by some laughter as my eyesight is no longer obstructed. I'm then turned around, where Lady Neptune puts her right hand on my cheek and her left pointer finger to her mouth as she turns her head away.

"We'll finish later, okay?"

"Nep, I swear—!"

"I'm just having a bit of fun, Iffy." Lady Neptune says as she walks away, patting IF on the head as the latter of the two hangs up her phone. "Besides, it's fun to see you react so… strangely _strong_. Could it be...?"

"No, absolutely not. Sheesh, I leave to talk a phone call for ten seconds…!" IF grumbles as she walks back over to me, Lady Purple Heart waving as she retreats to her room. "Sorry about that. I guess they're all having their fun tonight since you're the only guy. But hey, living the dream, right? Most guys would kill to have Nep and Noire fight over them."

"Please wake me up."

IF laughs heartily at this, though all I can do is sigh. She then picks up my coffee cup and holds it out to me. "Here, have a sip. Should calm you down."

"Thanks."

"Either way, good work out there tonight. You looked pretty dashing with Noire."

I roll my eyes, but IF only laughs for a bit.

"I'm serious, though. You really should dress up more often."

"Do _you_ want to see me dress up?"

IF only rolls her eyes in return. "Well, you do look good in a suit. Could use some more muscle, though. Good work with that finish you did for the dance."

"Please don't remind me." I mumble with a sigh.

"Hey, it looked pretty good despite it only being a few basic steps. And it was quite a show, you know? I thought you were going to slip up there, but holding her by the waist with her back arched and your heads only a few inches away? Man, what a _money shot_! I can't wait to see the papers tomorrow morning. I could practically hear the conversation you two were having there, just holding still, like—"

I lightly nudge IF before she can start doing impressions.

"You're no fun."

"Yeah, well I nearly had a heart attack when I realized it was over. and I can't wait to have one with the paper tomorrow."

"At least things will die down after this. I hope. And hey, they'll probably forget in two weeks or so. Just keep your head down." IF mumbles, looking back out towards the city nightscape.

"You just had to open your mouth."

"Hey, in the worst case, if you want to escape the public spotlight and everyone crowding the cafe, just ask Nep or Noire for a job. I'm _pretty_ sure Nep would hire you to make sweets for her all day, and you're already a shoe-in for a job as Noire's personal barista. You could probably even stay at their Bascillicoms, too."

"Wasn't it your job to keep my name out of the spotlight?"

"Cheh, you got me." IF says, in a clearly jovial manner. "Everything should be fine, though. Really, it'd take someone who actually knew your situation spilling the beans for everything to fall apart. I doubt Gregory's going to, though. And Compa might've recognized you, but even she knows she should check in with me before saying anything. That, and she's pretty well aware of what would happen, since it happened with us a while back."

"Yeah, I trust him. And that's good to hear about Compa."

Though…

"Something up? You twitched there for a second."

"Just an idle thought. Sorry to worry you."

"Alright…"

Could Melanie put the pieces together…? I haven't told her anything about this at all, but she does know Gregory fairly well. I don't think she'd do anything rash, though, so I'll just have to hope nothing's changed with her.

"Oh yeah, we should check where you're sleeping. Maybe that couch is a sofa bed?"

"That's what I was thinking."

"Well, we'll sort it out later, I guess. Might as well shower if you're not heading anywhere else."

"Ah, yeah, good idea."

I take a shower after that, using the spare bathroom here, and signal to IF it's free. As soon as I hear the door to the bathroom close, I hear another door open.

"Elliot?"

I turn around, finding Noire back in her normal form, peeking out from her bedroom. She's got on a dark grey one-piece nightie, along with a matching sleeping cap. Her hair's let down, too, so it hangs out which is incredibly strange to see compared to her normal twintails.

"Lady Noire?"

" _Noire._ " She emphasizes.

"S-sorry, Noire."

"Do you have somewhere to sleep tonight?"

"Ah, the couch is there, so we should be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Mhm." I say with a slight nod. "It might be a sofa bed, too."

"So you and IF are going to share, huh…" She says, looking away. Uh… what's the mood here…

"Haha, it's okay. We're both pretty stubborn, so I might be able to convince her to take it. She deserves it for all the work she's done."

"I see…" She closes her eyes and nods. "Well, if you need somewhere else to sleep…"

"N-no, I couldn't…!"

"T-there's also a sofa in here, too! D-don't get the wrong idea!"

"I apologize for jumping to conclusions! Forgive me, Lady Noire!" I say, immediately going into a deep bow, trying to ignore how hot my face feels.

"We… it's both our faults." She mutters. "A-anyways, don't bow! And stop calling me Lady Noire!"

"S-sorry, Noire…" I say back, rising out of my bow.

"Anyways... " I see the door close a little more, hiding her away from me. "...just knock, okay?"

"I will."

"Then, good night, Elliot."

"Good night, Noire."

With that, the door clicks closed.

"You seriously need to start giving classes."

I nearly jump out of shock as IF's whispered voice startled me from behind. She chuckles, walking over to the couch area before crossing her arms and looking over it.

"S-shut up, we're just friends."

"Oh yeah, I'll bet that's changed after tonight from her perspective." IF says with a laugh as I join her. "But hey."

"Hm?"

"If she does you know, end up gunning for you, just make sure you're honest with her, okay?"

"I don't follow?" I say, trying to gauge the mood here.

IF turns her head and gives me a very serious look. "I mean to say, if you're not interested in her romantically and she is, you shouldn't beat around the bush. It'll sting Noire, but I think it'll be a lot better than her thinking she's got a chance with you and then finding out she doesn't."

"I…"

"I know you probably don't think of her that way because she's a goddess, you know? For some people, it'd be a dream come true. For you, you don't see yourself as even deserving of that kind of attention." IF says with a shrug. "But hey, maybe you two will end up just being really close friends. Just… when you do find out what she feels and know what you feel, be honest, okay?"

"Alright…"

"Ahhh, sorry to ruin the good mood tonight with that. I've just… never seen her like that, is all. And you know how it is. I've seen enough romances happen at the office to pick up on a few things. With any luck, the fact she's going back to Lastation might be enough to put a damper on it, as you won't be seeing each other all the time."

"Right…"

"Anyways!" IF then claps. "Let's check this sucker out. I hope it is a sofa bed."

Unfortunately, said couch is not a sofa bed. IF then checked in with the candidates and other accompaniments over on their half of the penthouse, but they were all pretty much asleep at this point. So of course, it comes down to…

"I'm sleeping on the floor." I say, a bit more forcefully this time compared to the last fifteen minutes we've been arguing about who's taking it.

"Elliot, I'm used to worse conditions. You're taking the sofa."

"But you've been up and working all night, it's the least I could do for all the help you've offered me."

"And you need a good stressless sleep. Or what, are you planning with sharing a bed with Noire?"

"W-w—of course not! And I don't want to bother her now, even if she offered the sofa in her room."

"Then you're taking the couch."

"I'm not going to let you just sleep on the floor, though."

"It's got plenty of cushions, just hand me a few of them."

" _Just share the damn couch already, you old married couple! Go to bed already!"_ comes a yell that is likely Lady Blanc due to the voice, swiftly followed by a blue blur being thrown our way. IF manages to catch it, stepping in front of me just in case it would've hit me. Said blur was a pillow. That kind of strength is scary.

"Guess we've got an extra pillow now, huh?" I say, trying to smile.

"You always find the positive in the situation, don't you, Elliot?" IF asks as we both sit down on the couch. "...well, guess that's really our only option. It is pretty big, I guess, although I don't know how comfortable it'll be to lie down across it though, since our legs will get tangled up."

"No choice but to just lean back and close our eyes when we want to sleep then, right?" I ask, already leaning back on the couch. "Kind of like a plane."

"I guess. I'm not too sleepy, though."

"Well… late night TV, then?" I ask, reaching for the remote and handing it to IF. "Know of anything good at this time?"

"Um… just put it on channel seventy, they're probably rerunning old crime serials."

"Are you usually up this late to know that?" I ask, changing the channel.

"Shut up, Elliot."

"I'm taking that as a yes."

She rolls her eyes as I put the remote down after adjusting the volume, just watching the show unfold now. We're around twenty minutes late, so it shouldn't be too hard to piece together what's already happened.

"IF?" I ask after about fifteen minutes of watching, feeling something tap my right shoulder. Seems like she fell asleep. "Ah, guess she might not have been sleepy, but she must've been tired."

I don't want to wake her up, so I decide just to let my shoulder go a little numb while she sleeps, as moving might cause her to fall over and wake up, and well, we'll have a debate about how I was trying to give her the couch.

"Thanks for everything." I whisper, turning the TV off before leaning back in my seat, feeling the tiredness really starting to kick in as I close my eyes. "Really, IF. Thanks for everything…"

* * *

 **Wow that was a longer chapter than normal. Most of the time I hit like 11-12 pages, this guy's like 27 pages before author notes. Sheebus.**

 **But mostly just a lot of fluff time. This is basically Ship Tease: The Goddamn Chapter. CPUs gonna show up in their HDD form obviously, though I glossed over the Candidates and other accompaniments. I think next chapter will be able to feature them a little bit more. For the inevitable interrogation, of course.**

 **Though yeah, was nice. IF basically set Elliot up with a bunch of ways to slip out, Noire comes down as Black Heart and awkward times ensue. I had a lot of fun with the idea of Noire and Elliot talking about video games as a way to get his mind off of the press. Vert being a provacateur was also an amusing idea, with her just teasing the two and baiting Elliot into situations most for her amusement.**

 **Making the dance a parallel to their first outing was nice, although I did like to squeeze in either what you can interpret as a shipping moment or a friendship moment when Elliot is given the courage to give Noire a good time by seeing IF giving him the signal. Rather than illustrating the actual dance, I think it turned out better to just illustrate his thoughts and have it in the background.**

 **The penthouse scene was mostly just me having a bit of fun. I thought it was within Purple Heart's character just to be messing around with Elliot, mostly because he is the only guy there and they're all curious about him and Noire. More IF and Elliot friendship moments, though whether or not you buy IF's denial about her strong reaction to Nep is up to you. One last bit with Noire, doing the obligatory "sleeping invitation" shenanigans, and then capping it off with a talking with IF about Elliot and Noire.**

 **Then, for the last scene, the two friends sharing the couch as they go to bed. Definitely not a mistake considering who they're sharing the penthouse with, haha.**

 **Either way I am starting work soon so uh, don't expect these biweekly updates anymore. I managed to get through this arc, so we'll see how it goes.**

 **A friend of mine was laughing quite heartily when I explained this chapter, mostly because "geez you went all out with Noire, huh?". Man, not looking forward to the end of Blanc's arc, I'm going to have to find a way to match or top these shenanigans. My goodness, backing myself into a corner here.**

 **Right now I have an arc for Blanc in mind, but not really one for Vert and Nep. Mostly because I** _ **really**_ **am struggling to come up with one for Vert, since God knows that Vert would eat Elliot alive if she had him for five minutes alone. I'd probably have to work towards shifting him slightly so he can at least fend for himself. As for Nep, I think it's mostly going to be a combined Nep/IF/Compa arc of sorts with what I have in mind. With of course, the entire overarching arc of IF and Elliot's evolving friendship, and the occasional foray into the origins of Lapin House.**

 **Anyways this is a** _ **really**_ **long Author Note so I'll cut it short here. Thank you all for reading so far and I hope that as we come to the end of the climax of what one could call "season 1" of sorts, that you'll continue to support me. Please let me know if there was anything I could fix at all, I'd love to know what I missed out on and what I can improve on.**

 **See you all next chapter!**

 **NINJA EDIT 1: I can't believe I slipped up on it but thank Yu Narukaze for reminding me that Nep always calls IF by Iffy. I swear I got that in earlier chapters but it somehow slipped my mind here. Cue internal screaming. I think I got both cases but if you spot any more let me know.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:** The Morning After

* * *

I wake up to a light flash of white invading my vision. Is it… must be the sun… I can hear some voices, too…

"IF, you awake…?" I ask, slowly coming to. Though, I still feel incredibly exhausted. My arms feel like they've been carrying bags of flour for seven hours...

"Oh, did I fall asleep…? Sorry, Elliot."

"It's fine." I mumble, blinking rapidly in an attempt to wake myself up. "Should I go make coffee?"

The voices around me and my vision slowly come into focus. In front of me are three of the goddesses, Lady Neptune, Lady Blanc, and Lady Vert, all in the forms I'm used to seeing them in. They're all dressed in pajamas that match their colors, though Lady Neptune is holding a phone…?

It is then that I realize there is a sensation on my right shoulder and on my right chin and cheek area. My eyes roll down, finding what is _not_ a brown pillow, but rather—

Our reactions are almost in sync as IF and I pull away, realizing we had fallen asleep, leaning on each other.

"Sorry."

"I-I'm the one who should be saying that." I mutter, looking away, and feeling the heat searing on my cheeks already. I didn't even ask her if that was okay, we just kind of fell asleep and—oh no.

"Two timing, hm? Won't that be a delightful thing for the press to hear." Lady Vert says with a too-big-for-anything-good smile.

"I—"

Before I can open my mouth, IF moves and muffles me with her hand.

"Don't take the bait!"

"Aww, you're no fun, IF." Lady Vert says as she walks away, humming to herself as she goes to the coffee maker.

"S… sorry about that, IF. I didn't mean—"

"I know you didn't mean to, Elliot. We both just fell asleep, it happens."

"It happens~?" Lady Neptune asks, putting her phone away.

"Compa and I end up like that all the time when we take train trips. _You_ and Compa end up like that when we travel sometimes." IF points out as I try to get off the couch.

Lady Neptune pouts at this, but says she'll already has "something nice for Compa". IF then lunges for Lady Neptune's phone and the two begin some playful roughhousing.

"So that's who you needed my help for." Lady Blanc says bluntly. I feel myself curling up a little bit on the inside with her tone.

"S… sorry, Lady Blanc." I say, giving a small bow of apology. "It's just… I didn't want to give it away. I was asked to fill in as an emergency and not to tell anyone. Please don't hold it against me."

"Pick your head up, and stop bowing."

I do so as she walks up to me, looking into my eyes. It's… intimidating, despite the height difference between us.

"Is that the truth?"

"I'm a bad—"

"Is that the truth?"

I nod, looking into her eyes. "Yes, Lady Blanc. I was asked to fill in, was warned there might be a dance, and so asked IF about it. While I was not supposed to tell anyone, which is a moot point now, I informed IF beforehand because I needed someone who could help me."

There's a brief silence between us before Lady Blanc nods, turning away.

"Very well, I accept your explanation. However, please feel free to be more honest with us. The days when we fight between ourselves and try to constantly edge each other out are long gone."

"I… yes, Lady Blanc. Thank you. Hopefully there will not have to be another time like this."

She nods. "Although, as your teacher, I have to say: good job. You picked up the basics and applied them very well."

"T-thank you!" I say, bowing deeply this time.

Before she can say anything else, all activity in the penthouse comes to a complete halt as a loud, horrified shriek pierces the air.

"Oh, Noire's awake." Lady Vert says calmly as she resumes preparing the tea in her hands.

"It's about time." Lady Blanc mumbles as Lady Noire marches into the central area, dressed in the pajamas I saw her in last night, her face beet red and holding onto an unlocked phone that shows a headline from a news site.

"This—! But—! Why—?!" She stammers out, unable to get a clear sentence out.

"I'm not sure what you were expecting." Lady Blanc says as she goes to join Lady Vert over by the kitchen area. "You _did_ bring a man to the gala."

"Urk—!"

"And then you brought him up with you in the elevator. How scandalous." Lady Vert teases, giggling at Lady Noire's reaction as she puts down her teacup. "My, I think my favorite article was from one of the gossip sites. Is it true he's that larg—"

This prompts a horrified scream from Lady Noire, and suddenly I feel like I need to hide in the bathroom.

"Hey, Elly, aren't you like, you know—" Lady Neptune says while still fighting back IF, who's trying to take her phone. "—going to take responsibility?"

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I don't even know _what_ I could say in this situation. What am I even _supposed_ to say?

Lady Blanc takes out her phone and starts reading off something from it, though something about her monotonous voice _somehow_ makes everything she says sound worse than it actually is. "Shocker—Lady Black Heart Makes a Surprise Appearance With a Man at the Goddess Gaming Expo Gala. The two were so engrossed talking as they walked down the red carpet together they barely had time for us. Just who is this man and what kind of relationship does he have with her?"

"Oooh, here's another fun one. A Dance of Romance! Lady Black Heart and her date shared a charged waltz in the middle of the gala. The two have dodged making any comments about it, but everyone is speculating just who the brown haired, green eyed man she was with is!" Lady Vert says before scrolling some more.

"Oh, thank goodness." I breathe out, finally managing to say something. "The contacts worked."

"You might not like these, then. Ah, let's see—The Name of the Mystery Is…! While most are speculating about just who the man Lady Black Heart brought with her is, a few managed to overhear his name: Elliot. If you remember a few months ago, another man with brown hair by the name of Elliot was featured with the goddesses, at a small coffee shop named _Lapin House._ His store is open right now, but Elliot himself is not present! We'll keep you all posted!"

Before I can comment, I hear a phone buzz. Everyone glances around and shakes their heads.

Thus, I go for my phone, where…

"Oh no, it's Gregory…" I mumble, very hesitant to answer. But, since it's him… "Hello?"

" _So I can assume this morning is why you needed me here, yes?"_

"Gregory, I swear to you, I will give you the full story later."

"Oh noooo, Elliot, please stooop!" Lady Neptune says from the other side of the room, clearly trying to be heard over the phone in between her fit of laughter. "I don't think I can control my vo—mghghg, Iffy—!"

" _Are you with_ them _right now."_

"Do I have to answer that question?" I ask, feeling like I really want the floor to swallow me up.

" _Be honest with me."_

"...yes."

" _Did you ask her to go?"_

"No, I was asked to fill in since her usual accompaniment couldn't make it. I was supposed to keep it a secret but I guess the cat's out of the bag."

" _Alright."_

"You… believe me?"

" _You're a bad liar. And you probably don't have the nerve to ask her."_

"That kind of hurts."

" _Well, I tell you how it is, Elliot. Always been my policy. Besides, I think we both know that to be true."_

"Yeah, I know. But, uh…"

" _It's been somewhat busy this morning, but there's a slight lull. I'll keep everything running smoothly, though."_

"Gregory, you don't know how much—"

" _I know."_

"Thanks."

" _I see another wave incoming. Talk to you later."_

"Okay. Seeya."

With that, the call ends. While he can be fairly friendly, he is pretty… stiff when it comes to the goddesses.

"Didn't I tell you? I'd see it through to the end. I'm still on the job. Anyways, going to shower now." IF says, triumphantly holding a phone above her head, smiling as she heads to the bathroom, presumably to shower as she said. Meanwhile, Lady Neptune simply pouts, saying something about "You'll never guess my password!"

"Mhm." Lady Blanc says, glancing at me. "Well, I suppose you're staying here for some time. Make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you, Lady Blanc." I say, glancing over at Lady Noire, whose face seems to be shifting between horror, embarrassment, shock, and disgust every few seconds as she keeps reading.

I try not to let it bother me as I prepare the coffee that they have here. Something that's at least familiar, if not a bit strange since I'm not in my element. But, they at least have their own brand of coffee powder here, which I can put into the coffee maker.

Another phone buzz. As my phone's already in my hands, I can tell it's mine.

" _Thank me later, okay? And um, sorry for some of the sensationalistic language."_

A text from Melanie, followed by a link to a journalism site.

" _The Truth Behind 'Elliot'."_ is the name of the article. A quick cursory glance reveals though, that Melanie probably put some of the pieces together, but also had an in with Gregory. I would assume she likely figured out what was going on by following the clues such as the car and also maybe asking Gregory.

However, instead of pointing everyone in the _right_ direction, she used her 'authority' of knowing me personally along with Gregory to instead cite why it couldn't possibly be me. Though, I think it does slightly hurt to read things like 'wouldn't have the spine' when it comes to asking Noire to go. I know she was doing that to make it more appealing for people to share, but still.

" _Are you still in Planeptune?"_ I text back.

" _Yeah, but I'm too busy to hang out if you're here."_

" _I'll visit Leanbox sometime and we'll get dinner, then."_

" _Sounds like a plan. Steak, please~"_

" _Fine, fine. Anyways, gotta go."_

" _And give me the real deal, okay? I swear I won't say a word, but I just really wanna know!"_

" _Maybe. Talk to you later."_

"Oh, my, my. It seems there's a new article trending." Lady Vert says. "The author claims to know you, Elliot."

"Is it by someone named Melanie?"

"Who is she?"

"Yes, I know her." I say, deciding to follow what IF would likely do and say nothing more. Lady Vert only smiles, apparently amused at how I'm learning.

"Not to abruptly change the subject, but I'm abruptly changing the subject because I'm hungry. Breakfast." Lady Blanc says, holding up a menu. "The usual, Vert?"

"Oh, yes."

I mentally thank Lady Blanc for the distraction play.

Lady Blanc looks up at me. "Is there anything you'd like, Elliot?"

"Erm, please don't feel like you need to get anything for me. I'll be fine."

She gives me a very disapproving look.

"Then… just pancakes."

"Awww, that's no fun." Lady Neptune says, plopping down on a chair across from me. "Hey Blanc, at least get him the triple crepe special."

That sounds horrendously expensive.

"That's your favorite here for breakfast, though." Lady Blanc notes.

"L-Lady Neptune, you don't—"

"But I wanna~" She says with a beaming smile that almost makes all my worries go away. "Besides, I'm the goddess of where you live, right? You won't even accept a meal from me?"

Agh… all my will to resist the hospitality goes out the window with that statement.

"One should always accept a meal when offered, or something like that." Lady Neptune says, puffing out her chest with a smile on her face.

"I think that's _just_ you, Neptune." Lady Vert says, sitting next to her. "Or perhaps he's signalling he'd rather share a meal with Noire?"

"Huh?! _Betrayal?!_ Oh, my poor heart! A proud self-made man of Planeptune would rather eat with Noire instead of me! Say it isn't so, Blanc!"

"Noire, what do you want for breakfast?" Lady Blanc says, not bothering to even respond.

Lady Noire's response is nothing more than a few angry mutterings.

"Right." Lady Blanc says with a sigh. "So it'll be the usual for her as well."

"Put me down for the two eggs, two pancakes, and two bacon strips." IF calls out, apparently having heard us as she dries her hair while coming out of the bathroom. "Oh, hold on, I'll get the door."

* * *

"So just who are you, anyways?"

I try not to audibly swallow as I shakily put down my fork and knife, pausing in going through the Triple Crepe Special that Lady Neptune purchased for me. It's quite elegant, comprised of a strawberry filled crepe, a banana filled crepe, and a chocolate chip filled crepe, of which the last of those Lady Neptune recommend I save for last, with it being the sweetest. They also make me very much want to learn how to make these, but I doubt my skills will be able to shoot that far ahead.

I then wipe my mouth and put the napkin down, looking up at the black haired girl across the table. Much like her sister, she has her hair in twintails, held up by black and grey ribbons. She's also wearing a simple black dress with a grey border and what are either black gloves or detached sleeves to go with them. Her dark red-brownish eyes are narrowed at me, scrutinizing my every move.

I can only wish that IF was here, but the goddesses (sans Lady Noire) had dragged her off to their table inside and Lady Noire was there as well, forcing me to fend for myself out at the table on the balcony. My only saving grace of course, was that Lady Nepgear is at the table with me to potentially save me. Should I um, need saving in the first place.

"I'm Elliot, Lady Noire's friend." I say, unsure if Lady Noire would have wanted me to only call her Noire when it was just us two. "I'm just Kei's substitute, actually. She had an emergency—"

"And called in someone she said was suitable. I know that much." Lady Uni says, scanning me up and down as if to find any hints of deception. "So I want to know _why you_."

"H-he's not dangerous, if that's what you mean, Uni." Lady Nepgear says with an encouraging smile. "He's a very kind person."

"Thank you, Lady Nepgear. I'm humbled to know you think that of my character."

"Nepgear is fine. I heard that Noire asked you to use only her name, so please feel free to do the same for me. Besides, that's what we agreed to before."

"O-oh, okay. Sorry, it's just, addressing the goddesses so casually in this kind of environment is…"

"Well, if it makes you more comfortable, it's okay."

I shake my head. "No, I… I can try, La… Nepgear."

I get a smile in return from her. "Oh, and you didn't get sick, did you?"

"No, I didn't. I told you that I lived close by anyways."

"That's good. And you didn't need to return the umbrella, though."

"Well, when your sister visited, it was a good opportunity to return it, so…"

"Hey, hey, who is this guy, Nepgear?"

The girl who I recognize to be Lady Ram, in her signature pink puffy dress and hat, tugs on Lady Nepgear's sleeve, trying to get her attention.

"Oh, this is Elliot, he's…"

Lady Nepgear trails off, unsure if I want to say who I really am, considering that I seem to have gone to great lengths to have hidden it.

"An acquaintance of Lady Nepgear." I finish. "She helped me by letting me borrow an umbrella."

Lady Nepgear gives me a stern expression and I can feel the "hands on her hips" aura, despite the fact her hands are still gripping her utensils. "That's only because you lied about having one!"

"S-sorry… but I thought it was unfair to make you walk, Lady Nepgear. And I thought you were just dressed as, erm, you, as a fan. I didn't think for a while it was you know, you _you_ , Lady Nepgear."

I expected a strong sigh or other reaction back, but instead oI just hear some giggles.

"No wonder you became suddenly so polite."

"Hey, hey, don't just ignore us like that…!"

"Um, Ram, you shouldn't interrupt them, they seem to be having fun…" Lady Rom, in a matching outfit to Lady Ram, except hers is colored blue, says in a soft voice that's almost inaudible. "Sorry, but she's very excitable around new people."

"It's fine." I say, offering a comforting smile as best as I can.

"Um, but… is it true that our big sister taught you how to dance?"

The **glare** I get from Lady Uni makes me shrivel up on the inside. I must sound like some kind of player. Dancing with Lady Blanc, then taking Lady Noire to the ball, having a meal given to me by Lady Neptune, and getting friendly with Lady Nepgear. Uwah… I want to sink through the floor now.

"Y-yes, that's right… IF asked a favor and she had Lady Blanc teach me so I'd be prepared for a dance if it came up at the gala, which it did."

"Oooooooh!" The twins say, seemingly impressed.

"Since Kei asked me to do this in order to help Lady Noire, I wanted to be as prepared as possible. Knowing that there might be a dance as Lady Vert apparently tried one in previous years, I looked immediately into learning. It wouldn't do if there was a dance and I couldn't keep up." I say, shaking my head at the end for extra effect.

I note that Lady Uni's expression seems to soften a bit at this, but when she catches me looking, she narrows her eyes at me again.

"So you did it all for my sister, huh?"

"Yes, Lady Uni. However, it was IF who phoned Lady Blanc, since she believed she would be best for the job."

"Hmm…"

I see Lady Uni close her eyes and cross her arms. Lady Nepgear gives me an encouraging smile as if to say "Good job".

That all goes out the window with the next question.

"So just what do you think of my sister anyways? And just what is she to you? From the way you two act I doubt you're just friends."

"We are just friends, though."

"I don't believe you! I refuse to believe that my sister would take a guy who's "just a friend" to one of the biggest events of the year with all that publicity!"

"We really are just friends, though! It's just…!" I say while standing up, my emotions starting to get the better of me.

"It's just—?!"

"Lady Noire doesn't seem to have a lot of people she could quickly call on for something like this. It really should have been anyone else..." I say, starting to trail off.

"Are you saying my sister doesn't have a lot of friends?!"

"U-um, um, Uni, I don't think he's trying to say that…" Lady Nepgear adds from the side.

"A-as Lady Nepgear said, yes. I've seen the news, so I know you have a lot of friends and associates. It's just that getting a hold of them in short notice is difficult. So, it fell to me, since I was the most available. It really should've been anyone else, but maybe Kei just wasn't able to have them come in on time or they weren't available. I really think we're just friends, so—"

"Uni, are you bothering Elliot?"

I don't know whether to sigh in relief or hold my breath as the voice of Lady Noire cuts through, timed to her footsteps.

"Wh—sis?!" Lady Uni half-yells, her head turning to face Noire, who's walking out onto the balcony now.

"She's not bothering me, Lad—"

" _Noire."_ Lady Noire says, interrupting me, poking a finger into my chest.

"S-sorry, it's just that we're not al—"

"Aaaaaah! No, no, stop!" Lady Noire says, immediately putting her hand over my mouth.

"But hey, hey, wouldn't it clear everything up if Noire said they were just friends, too?" Lady Ram says with a big smile on her face.

I can hear the metaphorical record scratch as Lady Noire slowly creaks her head towards the twins, a look of horror and untold pain coming for the twins on her face for some reason.

"Is he really just your friend, sis?" Lady Uni asks, crossing her arms.

"He's not my boyfriend if that's what you're asking."

"I can confirm that." I add on.

"That doesn't answer the question…" Lady Uni grumbles, glaring at me.

Before anyone could say anything further, the tension of the room is dissipated by a loud clap.

"Alright ladies and sole gentleman, I know you all love your gossip, but we've got a schedule!" IF calls out. I make a colossal effort not to visibly breathe a sigh of relief, but offer a mental prayer of thanks to IF, who puts her hands on Lady Uni's shoulders.

She simply "hmph!"s and leaves, followed by Lady Nepgear who tries to offer another comforting smile.

"Hey, hey, see you later!" The twins say before following the other two, hand in hand. I wave goodbye in return before reaching for—

"The salt and sugar are switched." IF says, stopping me in my tracks. "Ram probably switched them, I'd double check."

"Oh."

"U-um, er, sorry about my sister, Elliot." Lady Noire says as IF just gives me a nod, leaving us alone.

"It's fine." I mumble, glancing away. Being considered in that way… that definitely couldn't be the case. We're just friends and this was just me covering for Kei. I shouldn't think anything more of it. While we had a fun time, it doesn't change that Lady Noire is a goddess and I'm just me.

"A-anyways, like IF said, we do have a schedule, so… excuse me!"

With that, Lady Noire makes a hasty retreat. IF just shrugs when I look at her as she walks over.

"Doing alright? Come on, have a seat."

"I think I am." I say, sitting back down, looking out beyond the city to IF, who chuckles as she sits down at the table with me, where my half-finished crepes sit.

"Not hungry anymore?"

"I think I just don't want to load up my stomach too much since I feel like I could throw up at any moment out of stress."

IF has a laugh as she pushes my coffee mug towards me. "Come on, drink up to relax, at least. You survived, didn't you?"

"Barely." I mumble, taking the mug and sipping it. "It was only thanks to your timely intervention."

IF gives a laugh as she leans back in her chair. "Come on, it wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Lady Uni is… utterly terrifying."

"Well, you _did_ suddenly show up with her sister and dance with her…"

"I failed to consider that when thinking about taking the request." I say, groaning before taking another sip. "How's the news now?"

"Well."

IF plops down several papers taken from inside her jacket, all of which have my picture except with green eyes. "Take your pick. Made the front page of basically every newspaper. Now _that_ is an achievement. Only wish your shop could profit from it."

"I'll pass on the big headache that would cause."

"Mhm. But hey, Uni wasn't so bad, was she?"

"IF, I got the stereotypical 'big brother in a TV show to his little sister's new boyfriend' treatment from a goddess who doesn't even come up to my shoulders. And it was twice, no, three times as scary than if it had been a world-class bodybuilder with a glare that could melt steel."

"I'll be sure to tell her that word for word."

"Please don't!" I sigh as IF laughs at that one, clearly having got the reaction she was looking for. "I see you're having your fun."

"Well, it's all easygoing from here. Anyways, I figure I'd go down to your store and get you a change of clothes. Or I could always go to one of the stores around here as well. We can get you out of here, far and away"

"Hm? You should've told me, but—"

"Security would've been a pain, so it slipped my mind, I guess. Would've made it a lot easier if we could've gotten your bags through without much fuss, though. Could be out of here already."

"Where are we going to go, anyways?"

"Well, you have a few choices. We can stay here in Planeptune and have you lay low for a while. We could also go to Lastation—"

"No."

"I was just pointing it out, but alright. They'd probably jump you in the streets, anyways. We could also go to Lowee or Leanbox, too."

"Won't it be registered that I crossed the border to those nations, though?"

"That's true, but on the other hand I'm sure the staff there aren't going to go about leaking your travels. Besides, if anyone asks, I can just play the Guild business card."

"That seems really convenient."

"It happens when you're a long time agent." IF says with a small smile. "And of course, being affiliated with the goddesses. Up to you where you want to go, Elliot. But I imagine you want to put a lot of distance between this place and you."

"No kidding. Can I get a bit of time to decide?"

"Sure. If we're heading out of the Planeptune though, we'll catch the last flight out to reduce the amount of exposure to people you have."

"Oh, and right." I fish around in my wallet and hand IF some cash. "Get yourself something nice from the shop. My treat."

"Aww, thanks Elliot. Anything you want?"

I shake my head as IF stands up. "The crepes already filled me enough."

"Alright. Just let me know whenever you've made a decision. I'll go get our transportation prepped up in the meantime."

"Thanks."

IF gives me a nod as she leaves, waving to Noire who has gotten dressed and is walking out onto the balcony, having already showered while we waited for breakfast to arrive. I wave to her and get one in reply.

"Good morning, L—Noire." I say, correcting myself in time.

"Sorry for my sister this morning." She says, glancing a bit away. "She can be kind of unfriendly to strangers."

"It's fine." I say back, trying to smile. "I don't have siblings myself, but I could understand the sentiment if someone suddenly showed up like I did. Maybe if I come to visit, we can patch things up."

"I'd appreciate that a lot. What are you doing now?"

"Just deciding on where to lay low for a while. You have the conference to deal with, right?"

Lady Noire nods. "Just about ready to go down to open it up officially with the others. It's going to be a very busy weekend, too."

"Well, I am going to be laying low and not working for the next week, so…"

I see Lady Noire smile at the implication. "Fiyar Mountains on Sunday night?"

"Sounds like a plan, Noire. I'll see you there."

"You're learning." She says, flashing a smile as she stands up. "Stay safe, okay?"

"IF'll be helping so, you don't have to worry. I'd offer you a cup of coffee to go, but…"

"It's fine. I'll be sure to have one the next time I'm in Planeptune, okay?"

"I'll look forward to it." I say, returning the smile.

"Oi, Noire!" A semi-angry voice calls out. It's definitely Lady Blanc. "Hurry it up or we're leaving without you!"

"Now, now, you shouldn't rush her farewells to her gentleman." Lady Vert's voice says, immediately firing up Noire who starts yelling at them as she leaves. I feel like I'm starting to get a little numb to it, but it still is slightly embarrassing. I hope they haven't gotten the wrong idea.

It's quiet after they leave, as there's no one else in the penthouse. I mostly just sit around and watch TV, waiting for IF to get back and thinking about where we should go.

Huh… well, wasn't IF going on a vacation to Lowee after this? It might save her the trip if we go there. Maybe I'll let her know about that once she gets back.

* * *

"Mmpumph!"

I grunt as the snowball hits me square in the face.

IF was pleasantly surprised by the choice, though when I explained my reasoning she rolled her eyes and told me to "pick something for yourself, you've earned it". So, I told her that there was a bakery I wanted to check out here on Lady Blanc's recommendation, and with a sigh IF let it go.

I could tell she was a little bit happy that I was thinking of her, though. This was sort of my thanks, too, for everything she has done for me.

Regardless of why we're here though, the difference between our athletic ability is pretty obvious, considering how I haven't landed a single hit on her once.

"This is seriously unfair." I mumble, wiping the snow off my face.

"Come on, I thought you'd have a little more in you! Don't you lift bags of flour and stir mix all day?"

"Yeah, but—" I fail to dodge another snowball, take a smack right in the side. "That isn't exactly combat training!"

There's nothing but laughter that precedes another snowball smacking me right in the back. While the coat I got is thick enough to ward off the cold, there's still the force of the impact and a tiny bit of chill to go with it.

"Okay, okay, I'm done. I'm done, Elliot!" IF insists as I give her a look that says I don't believe her. "My hands are up, I don't have a snowball in them."

"Geez…" I mumble as she walks over, a big and relaxed smile on her face.

"Sorry, I was just having a bit too m—blugh!"

While there's never a chance for me to hit IF with a snowball at a range, if her guard is down and it's right up close and personal, then I can still connect with a blindside tackle to pull her into the snow.

"Sorry." I say, getting up and seeing IF face down in the snow.

"Oh, I don't wanna hear that from you." IF grumbles after pushing herself up and wiping the snow from her face, but underneath it she's still smiling. "You got me, I'll say that much. Bit of a sore loser, aren't you?"

"I still have my pride, I guess." I say back, getting up and offering a hand, which IF uses to pull herself back up onto her feet.

IF only laughs at that as she gives me a nudge to the ribs. "Well, glad to see you're having fun, too."

"I mean, the past week has been pretty fun." I say, thinking back on all the preparations for the ball that were made.

"You know what I mean, Elliot. Nothing's really on your mind, you know, that sort of thing. I could tell it was starting to weigh down on you quite a bit."

"I guess it kind of was."

"Well, you're free now, so let's just have some fun." IF says, stretching her arms. "Come on, I'll treat you to some hot chocolate. You know, for pelting you with snowballs for an hour."

"Okay, okay, fine. But I'm getting the most expensive one with all the bells and whistles, and you better pray they don't have a souvenir cup."

IF only chuckles as this as we walk back through the streets of Lowee. We did buy a coat before leaving Planeptune and tucked it into a spare suitcase that IF managed to scrounge up which I'm using to store my extra changes of clothes for the week. She even went by my store and living place to get my console, knowing that Noire and I made plans to play.

One thing that is incredibly strange though, is seeing my face plastered everywhere. It's even on the papers in Lowee, something that IF is taking great amusement in. I can't believe the news has made its way all the way to here, though.

A few people have occasionally bugged us, asking if I'm the Elliot that was with Lady Noire because I look so similar. While I do admit that my name is Elliot, IF usually steps in and shoos them away. When asked about her presence as she's a known Guild agent, she manages to effortlessly bluff them into believing that she was assigned to guard me while on my vacation precisely _because_ of this. Two very similar Elliots and I am the one who was a friend of Lady Neptune, or so IF claims, so she was asked to watch over me in case people started bugging me.

"Hey, IF." I say after she successfully dissuades another reporter from interrogating me.

"Hm? What is it, Elliot?" IF asks as we stop at a crosswalk, waiting for it to turn to the walk signal. "Oh, right that bakery should be around here somewhere."

"No, it's not that. It's just that… I haven't been able to thank you properly. For everything you've done for me. It's so much more than what a friend should do."

I see her turn her head away a bit, looking uncharacteristically flushed. "Geez, you can say some pretty embarrassing things with a straight face, huh?"

"S-sorry…?"

"No, don't apologize, it's just… hearing that up front is a bit, you know… But, it's just what I do for my friends, Elliot. It's not like it's any real risk to me, you know? I've put a lot more on the line before, so I'm a bit thankful it's just working a few extra hours rather than having to risk my life for you."

"I really hope the day never comes you have to risk your life for me."

"I hope so too. So, stay safe, got it? Don't make me have to worry about you."

"Come on, do you think I'm going to put myself in danger?"

IF chuckles, gesturing for us to get walking as the signal has changed. "No, but you know how it goes. Trouble always finds a way. But don't worry. I'll be there for you."

"I guess that's another thing I'll have to thank you for."

"Should I start keeping a tab?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I should stop having to rely on you so much."

"Hey, none of that." IF says, nudging me in the ribs again. "It's not like I don't depend on you, too. Whether it's that late cup of coffee or even just a friendly smile after a long day, you do a lot for me. Let's just call it even."

"I guess… you can say some pretty embarrassing things too, huh?"

"Huh? Wha… o-oh. Geez, I didn't even think about that until you brought it up." IF grumbles, crossing her arms. "Well, that's what I think, anyways. So don't say anything like that, okay?"

"Deal."

"But let's have some fun for now. I think we've definitely earned it." IF says as she stops, opening the door to the shop to our right. "After you."

I only give a bright smile, getting a smaller one in return from IF as I enter the small cafe. Things might finally be starting to return to normal, huh… I'll be glad the day that they do. But I think that it'll be nice to return to how things were before, without all this worry of secrets and discovery. Just being able to smile and ask IF how her day was over a nine in the evening mocha. I really do miss things like that.

But, hopefully soon enough, we'll be back to those days…

* * *

 **Awww that's funny, Elliot.**

 **Anyways, that's the really big denouement of the "Black Swan" arc, I suppose. Finally coming back to baseline, although wow that was a lot longer than I intended. See, normally chapters are like 11-13 pages long, this sonnuvabitch was like 16 pages before author notes so that's uh, a thing.**

 **Also I was thinking "Man I have ridden this Noire train pretty hard, better back off a bit". Yeah I definitely did that. Yep, that's definitely what the whole talk with Uni did. Absolutely successful, me. Way to fucking go. You know looking back on it I wasn't intending to like, make this whole potential ship train go this far but holy shit I have no sense of self-control.**

 **Like man this was just supposed to have a "What do you mean Elliot is with Noire and not IF to the ball" shock scene not this entirely massive arc that ends with Noire's feelings being ambiguous and all that jazz holy shit. Thank God we're done with it so I can slightly course correct lmao, as this was** _ **definitely**_ **not ever planned to be an MC/Noire story, but like, wow shit happens. Sorry Lonely Heart, but you'll have to wait until I have something solid planned. Or if everyone starts clamoring for them to get together lol. I swear I better not wake up to like, 4 reviews saying "GET THEM TOGETHER".**

 **Sorry for the delay but like, you know how it goes. New job, don't have as much time to write anymore and gotta squeeze in video games somewhere in there. IRONICALLY I did this in November, AKA during National Novel Writing Month and somehow have been keeping pace while also writing this story. I hope to push the next update sometime in December. Pray that it's like, early December and not December 31st like I did last year lmao**

 **Let me know what you guys think of this chapter and see you then!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Merry Christmas!**

* * *

 **Chapter 15:** Here It Goes Again

* * *

"Please accept my sincerest apologies."

"A-ah, it… it's fine, pl-please stop with the bowing!" I say, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with how Lady Blanc is the one bowing so deeply to me.

To make a long story short, Lady Blanc and the two twins came by to visit approximately two weeks after my return to the coffee shop, which has been a bender in and of itself. Some… mischief was had from the twins which resulted in…

...well, let's just say I'm glad I had insurance and can easily replace the tables and some of the machines here. Unfortunately, while I tidy up and get everything back in order, I've had to close down the shop for the day.

In the background, as Lady Blanc rises elegantly from her bow, the twin CPU Candidates of Lowee look down at the ground, probably not having anticipated this.

"Rom. Ram. Please go back to the hotel. I will talk with you there."

The two of them do so, but with a look of fear in their eyes. I don't think Lady Blanc is going to do anything harsh, but I imagine that a very strict lecture is coming their way.

"Please don't be too harsh on them, Lady Blanc." I say after the door closes behind them.

"I have to be, or they won't learn." She says, crossing her arms. "Please do not file an insurance claim. I will personally work this matter out and have your shop restored at my own cost. It is the least I could do."

"No, please, you don't have to—"

"I'm going to." She says in a very manner that indicates she will not budge on this. "Additionally, I will have Financier run the numbers for any losses to business that is the fault of my younger siblings."

"Lady Blanc, please, you don't have to do that much."

She raises an eyebrow at this. "This is your livelihood, isn't it? Shouldn't you value it a little more?"

"That's true, but…"

"But?"

I look away, withering under her inquisitive gaze. "I have a bit of pride in being able to carry on the legacy of the shop, is all. That and, it's..."

What goes unsaid is that I'd feel bad asking something like this from the goddesses. Even if she's offering, it still feels… I don't know quite how to describe it, but something in me doesn't like the idea of a lot. I guess it's still stemming from hiding who I was away from the public, that surely, the humble coffee shop owner couldn't really have taken Lady Noire to the ball, in a way. I'm humbled by the fact Lady Blanc is offering to help, but...

I hear Lady Blanc sigh in frustration. "I see. Then, can we compromise? While I respect that you have your own pride in the shop, I have my own pride as well. Leaving you without any recourse at all is simply unacceptable."

"What did you have in mind, Lady Blanc?"

"I will cover the more expensive things, such as the actual redoing of the floor, machines, and any infrastructure damage. On the other hand, you will still submit a claim, but only for the furniture that was damaged."

"I… that sounds fine with me, Lady Blanc."

She nods once. "Very well. Do you mind if I take a few pictures, so I can send them off to Financier?"

"Go right ahead." I say, gesturing for her to walk around the cafe as she needs.

I also take a few pictures of the tables that were destroyed so that way I can file the claims accordingly. Thankfully, the jukebox was undamaged, as that would have been very difficult to have repaired.

Most of the damage is cosmetic in nature, I think. Nothing essential to my business was really harmed, but I will probably need to check that the register is still functional and I'll have to replace the coffee pots that were damaged.

My work is done fairly quickly, but Lady Blanc is very extensive about her photographing of the scene. While she works, I quietly prepare a cup of mocha for Lady Blanc, still remembering what she ordered the first day she came here.

As she sits down to rest at a table, her job likely done, I then place the cup of mocha, sitting elegantly on a saucer, in front of her.

"On the house, Lady Blanc."

"Oh, thank you."

Unlike when it's quiet with Noire or IF, it's not so much an awkward silence or a well-known silence where we're thinking. In fact, it feels almost strangely comforting sweeping the store while Lady Blanc sips on her mocha.

"Is everything else going fine?" She asks, breaking the silence.

"Hm? Well, I suppose so."

"I meant if anyone is still bugging you about the gala. I've seen it surface on occasion, is all."

"Oh." I pause in my cleanup, thinking on it. "Well, every now and then, I suppose. It's been three weeks since then, so while the news cycle has mostly moved onto new things, someone tries to 'get the scoop'. I mostly just feed them the lines that IF has told me to or politely ask them to leave if they aren't willing to order something. I'm getting a bit better at that, thankfully."

"I see."

"Thank you for your concern, Lady Blanc."

"Well, if IF is still concerned, I would be, too." She says, a knowing look on her face. What exactly she knows about, I'm not quite sure.

"That's true, I guess." I say, smiling a bit. "Despite the fact she's still on vacation, she'll try to get status updates from me."

And like that, my phone buzzes multiple times. Lady Blanc gives me a nod as I check who it is, which of course, it's IF calling. Almost as if she knew we were talking about her.

"— _iot are you okay?!"_ is what I hear after I answer it.

"I'm fine, IF. It's nothing major."

" _Nothing major?! Don't tell me that, that's not what I heard from Nep!"_

I pause, not exactly sure of how to proceed from here. "Um… what exactly did Lady Neptune tell you?"

" _She said something about it sounding like there was an explosion coming from your shop, but she wasn't sure of the details. Nepgear also said the fire department had been dispatched."_

"Well, it wasn't really an explosion-explosion. Some of the machines had some damage and launched a few sparks. If there was a fire, we put it out preemptively with the extinguisher before it could really go, plus the fire department cleared everything, so it's all safe."

" _Are you hurt?!"_

"No, I'm fine."

" _Are you telling the truth? Be honest with me, Elliot."_

"I am, IF. I seriously am one hundred percent fine. All that happened is that Lady Ram and Lady Rom caused a bit of a ruckus. One thing kind of led to another and well, the shop has a bit of damage but no one was harmed."

There's a bit of silence after that.

"IF?"

" _Excuse me Elliot, I'm going to need to put you on hold for a second while I phone Nep."_

"Okay…?"

It's only about thirty seconds until I hear her voice again.

"That was a quick phone call."

" _Y… yeah, it was quick."_ An uncharacteristically nervous IF responds. _"Do you want me to come down there?"_

"No, I'll be fine. Look, Lady Blanc is here right now, so I can pass the phone to her if you want her to vouch for the fact I am standing in the shop itself, unharmed, and healthy."

" _Sure, go ahead."_

I look towards Lady Blanc, who holds her hand out. I hand the phone over to her and try to leave, attempting to give her some privacy, but Lady Blanc effortlessly holds the phone in one hand and me still in the other.

"Hi, IF, this is Blanc. Yes, he's fine. I'll be disciplining them later. No, I did not tell Neptune to tell you that. Yes, he's still got all of his limbs. No, he's not bleeding, he has no broken bones, he is fully fit as a fiddle. You really don't have to come down, I can assure you he's fine. Alright, if you really want to. No, I won't. You tell him yourself."

With that, the phone is handed back to me.

"— _ally matter who says 'good night' to—"_

"IF?"

" _Elliot? Oh, Blanc passed the phone back. I just wanted to say good night."_

"Oh, thanks. Good night to you, too, IF."

" _And if you're busy, make sure to tell Noire you can't play tonight. She'll get worried, otherwise."_

"Right, I should do that. Thanks for the reminder." I say, mentally noting down to text Lady Noire after this phone call.

" _What'd you do without me?"_ Comes a slight teasing tone before a slightly bashful one. _"Though, hey, can I call you back in an hour?"_

"Sure, what for?"

" _Just for some peace of mind, is all."_

"Okay, yeah, I can do that for you. If it'd help you relax." I say, trying not to smile at IF showing her softer side.

" _Thanks, Elliot. Talk to you in a bit."_

I put the phone away into my pocket, turning back to Lady Blanc who has a small grin on her face.

"IF is quite the good friend." She says before sitting on her mocha.

"She is." I say, unsure of what the mood is here. "IF is a very good friend, and I am grateful every day that she's there."

Lady Blanc only nods at this. "I was also thinking of something, if you wouldn't mind me intruding so much."

"What do you have in mind, Lady Blanc?"

"I would like for my sisters to work here for a bit. While I could discipline them normally, I think that by having them understand what they've done and how it can make life difficult, that they might learn an additional lesson."

"That's…"

While it might be nice to have help, I don't think I should…

"Please don't think that it's something below us. If I were to lose all of my shares tomorrow and a new goddess took over, I would be no different than you, Elliot."

"Am I really that easy to read?"

"Not in particular, but you are, no offense, a very simple person."

"None taken, Lady Blanc."

"You should take a little more pride in yourself, Elliot. That, and the relationship between the CPUs and you isn't one way. We aid you in your times of need and in turn, you believe in us. We need each other."

"O-of course, Lady Blanc."

"If it would not disrupt your schedule too much, I would like to ask you at least consider it. Maybe they, or at least Ram, would not be so rambunctious if she knew how much she was affecting people with her occasional antics. And if you're worried, I will be there to supervise them, or we can try to put them into a role that won't cause trouble."

"Well, alright. How about we wait until everything is repaired before we start talking about this, though?"

Lady Blanc nods at this. "Very well. Thank you for your consideration, at the very least."

Though, part of me is a bit hesitant insofar as the publicity will go. It was already a trainwreck considering how all of them showed up here, then all of the business with Lady Noire, and now having Lady Blanc and the CPU Candidates of Lowee working here for a while? I might have to consult with IF about this, but I doubt that anything bad would happen.

Ha… there goes the normal times again. But I guess if I'm going to be kept around the goddesses, I really shouldn't think that my life is going to be that normal. I'm a bit excited, but at the same time a bit nervous, but it seems that… well, here we go again.

* * *

" _How are you holding up?"_ IF asks as I plop down in my bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"Well, other than the brief scare earlier today, I think I'm good." I say, stretching my legs. "How's your vacation going?"

" _Well, it is starting to get a bit lonely, but I'm happy to have some relaxation time."_

"Should we save up to go on a cruise together?"

" _Maybe we should, actually. Again, are you okay?"_

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm not in a hospital, I don't have a single scratch on me. I'm actually lying in my bed right now. Instead of you know, a hospital one."

" _Didn't need to know that, but I'm glad to hear that you're okay again."_

"You don't need to worry so much about me, you know?"

" _Look, it's just… you're not like the others."_ She says, sighing before speaking again. _"Nep and the others, they're strong. And I mean really strong. They fight things that launch lightning bolts at us, shoot massive lasers, and hurl fireballs. Compa and I occasionally join them, but they're the ones who do the heavy lifting."_

" _Compa_ fights?"

" _She is surprisingly tough, actually. And you should see the size of the syringes she carries sometimes. There was also one time she slapped a dragon out cold?"_

That's an incredibly terrifying mental image to have.

" _But, that aside, look, we've been in some pretty bad scrapes and most of my friends can take that sort of thing. But you, well… you're not a CPU, Elliot. Compared to them, you're pretty fragile, so when I heard there was a fire, I… I panicked, okay? Normally this sort of thing doesn't get to me, but it hit a little too close to home."_

"Hey, it's fine, IF. I'm actually really glad you're concerned, but take it easy, okay?" I say, trying to convey as much of a feeling as I can of patting her on the shoulder through my voice, as silly as that sounds.

" _Well, it's comforting to at least hear you're unharmed."_

"Glad I could do that for you. Oh, and thanks for reminding me to tell Lady Noire I couldn't play tonight."

" _Noire hasn't called back? Not even a text?"_

"No, I'm pretty sure Lady Noire has more important things to be doing, anyways. She did say thanks for letting her know and that she understood I get busy every now and then."

" _Thought she'd have been all over you once she heard the news. I'll check if she has."_

"You don't have to." I say, getting a laugh from IF.

" _But all joking aside, is your shop going to be okay?"_

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Lady Blanc is covering most of it, but I wanted to at least cover a bit of it myself. Consider it that I've felt like I need to compensate for being away for a week."

" _Geez, you really are too kind for your own good."_

"Well, I wanted to get some new tables anyways."

" _You probably just feel guilty about asking it from the CPUs."_ She says in that nagging 'You know that I know that I'm right' kind of tone.

"Am I that easy to read…?"

" _I just know you very well, Elliot."_ IF says, chuckling. _"Anything else?"_

"Well, Lady Blanc also asked if I might be willing to let Lady Ram and Lady Rom work here as a bit of a punishment. Sort of just learning how it all works out and what they're disrupting."

I hear something that sounds like coughing, laughter, and choking on a drink from the other side of the line.

"IF?"

" _S-sorry, I'm just, oh… yeah, let me find a paper towel real quick. I just coughed my drink all over the desk."_

"Um…"

Somehow, the aura of a smug smile manages to come through on a purely audio call. _"But, hold on. Tell me you didn't say yes."_

"I said I'd consider it…" I say, already regretting admitting it.

I can already picture IF's face as laughter comes from the speaker on the phone.

" _Oh, Elliot, here we go_ again… _"_

"That's actually what I was thinking."

" _Well, this one should be less of a pain. It's a much more reasonable ask. Did Blanc say she'd be there?"_

"Yeah, she'd be there to supervise them."

" _There shouldn't be that many problems, then."_

"You sure?"

" _Well, it's Blanc. If it was just the twins, yeah, you'd have some problems. But if she's watching over them, you should be fine. I'd try to find a position they won't cause too much trouble if you're going to say yes."_

"Should I?"

" _Entirely up to you. Just know what you're signing up for."_

"I doubt it's going to be as bad…" I say, closing my eyes as I think about it.

" _Haha, I know. Well, my vacation wraps up this week. If you feel like you want to say yes, but also want some help, I won't be out for too much longer."_

"Don't feel like you need to come back just for me, though." I say, rolling over to check on my alarm clock. "You should enjoy your vacation."

" _I did say it was getting a bit lonely, though. Probably shouldn't have taken off for this long."_

"Haha, well, I'm sure you'll find yourself missing it when you get back."

" _Yeah, that's true… oh, right, the time. I'm sure it's getting late for you there and you need to be up early, so I won't keep you up too much longer."_

"Alright. Thanks for checking in, IF. I really appreciate it."

" _No problem. Good night, Elliot."_

"Good night, IF."

" _Oh, and expect a call from Noire."_

"I wanna sleep…"

" _Hahaha, alright, alright. I'll let her know tomorrow, then."_

"Geez…"

With that, I end the call and plug my phone back into its charger. I really just want to rest for a bit after the wild rush that was today. That, and if I say yes to Lady Blanc, well, as IF and I already know… it's going to get pretty wild again.

* * *

Fortunately, I don't have to close the shop despite the damage, plus it doesn't seem like most people seem to mind. My main complaint is that I'm operating at slightly reduced efficiency due to some of the equipment damage, but nothing I can't make up for with diligence throughout the day.

I pause after the evening rush to the sound of some light clapping. At the entrance is Lady Blanc.

"Impressive."

"T-thank you, Lady Blanc. It's nothing major. May I get you something to drink?"

"Ah, of course."

She places her order and sits down at the counter. Lady Blanc asks for a mocha and the cinnamon crumb muffin, apparently having been told to try it out by IF.

It has been quite a while, but I did get some practice in…

"You've improved."

"Thank you, Lady Blanc…" I say, trying not to sigh in relief as the rose at least looks like a rose this time around.

"Last time I saw, it was… when IF brought us here." Lady Blanc says with a nod.

"Ah... " I say, laughing a bit at the memory. It was kind of nice, haha… except for the part where I got interrogated afterwards. I suppose it was what kickstarted this whole adventure as well. I wonder if I would have become good friends with Noire had that day not happened.

Speaking of Lady Noire, I'm fairly certain that the now twenty three texts that I have received since lunch were from her, but due to the business of the store and having to work with a less than optimal setup, I haven't had the time to read them.

"So, have you given it any thought? Also, I've brought the assessment from Financier. If you'd like to approve it, then that will help speed things along."

"Oh, of course, yes. It shouldn't be too busy now, so I don't mind. Ah, hold on, it looks like there's a small group about to come in."

Fortunately, they're all to go orders and they're quickly out the door, taking the last of muffins with them. There's a few whispers if that's "really Lady Blanc" and "what's she doing here", but Lady Blanc likely pretends not to hear them and doesn't seem very phased as they leave.

"Sorry. I should have put on a disguise." Lady Blanc says after they're completely out the door. "I've been making too much trouble for you."

"N-no, you're fine…" I say, shaking my head. "Besides, I… don't want anyone to make this place somewhere you can't relax. I'll deal with it, don't worry."

Lady Blanc gives me a curious look as she then takes out a few forms and slides them forward.

"Oh, and as for your request, um… I guess it should be fine?" I say, taking them and starting to scan over them. "IF said that if you're supervising, I won't have to worry too much."

"She would say that." Lady Blanc notes as I notice a few more lines. "Is something wrong?"

"There's a mistake, there has to be. This is way too much."

"Part of it is compensating you for your lost business as part of your reduced operability both up to now and during the reconstruction. As to present minimal disturbance to your customers that choose to sit-in, the calculations were done for if you had to close the cafe entirely." Lady Blanc explains as I put the forms down.

"It's still…"

"I refuse to go any lower."

The tone of her voice says there will be no arguing and frankly, I don't have the heart in me to argue with one of the CPUs.

"Okay, you win, Lady Blanc. Where do I sign?" I say, reaching for a pen. I notice her give me another look, eyebrows furrowed as I take the cap off.

"Just the final page, once you're sure."

This is still like… a lot of money. And I mean a _lot_ more than what I thought I'd need. Is this a test? But Lady Blanc knows I'm a bad liar.

I glance over at her again, where she seems to be paying attention to her drink, yet I can't shake the feeling that she's watching me. My hand hesitates to move despite the fact it's right over where I'm supposed to sign.

I…

"Is something wrong?"

I can't bring myself to look up at Lady Blanc, but I push the form away. If I look up, there's just no way I can say it directly to her face. I try to summon up every last bit of courage that I can, trying to pretend this is like when I was with Lady Noire at the gala. It was utterly terrifying, but it was just the right thing to do. It was the most terrifying night of life despite all the excitement, wondering if I'd make a mistake for part of it, yet I pushed through regardless because I wanted Lady Noire to enjoy herself. Therefore, for something like this, for something with much lower stakes, I can push through as well. Holding onto those memories, I finally open my mouth.

"I can't say take this much, Lady Blanc. I humbly make this request of you, but please reduce the amount." I say, bowing as deeply as possible despite the counter in my way.

I close my eyes and try not to imagine what her face looks like as the silence creeps down my spine. However, I feel a single finger touch my chin.

"Elliot, look up." Comes a much kinder tone than I expected, but I can still feel myself frozen rigid.

I follow the guided motions and slowly bring my head up.

"Now, stand up straight."

I do so, partially dreading what the next request will be.

"Open your eyes."

Despite it being the simplest, this is admittedly the hardest of the tasks, knowing who is sitting there in front of me. However, I force myself to do it, however long it takes, knowing who's asking me.

Lady Blanc is sitting there, nodding as I do so. She takes the forms back and exchanges them for what appear to be a new set of forms, which I notice the numbers are dramatically lower and more in line with what I would expect, if not just bumped up a bit more.

"You passed."

"I… what?"

"I was prepared to part with that much, but I needed to see." Lady Blanc says, pushing the new forms forward. "Please accept my apologies."

"What did you need to see?"

Lady Blanc only gives a small smile in return. "That you are starting to see us as more of partners than as distant goddesses you always must follow the will of. It would not be of any help for Ram and Rom if you simply rolled over because they're CPU Candidates. But, you've shown that you have the requisite backbone."

"I… I see, Lady Blanc."

"I'm sorry for having to test you like this, but it was the only way."

"No, it makes sense, Lady Blanc." I say, scanning through the new forms and feeling much more comfortable with signing them. "However, may I make a polite request?"

"Very well, I'll hear it."

"Can you not test me in this regard ever again?" I say, trying to give a smile that doesn't express how much of a weight I felt lifted off my back.

She puts a hand to her mouth as if thinking. "Unless it absolutely requires it, you have my word."

I sigh, trying not to give a laugh of relief. "I guess that's as good as it gets."

Before any of us can say anything, I hear another buzz. Oh, that's right…

"May I?"

Lady Blanc simply nods as I reach for my phone. When I check, there's twenty four unread messages, all of which are from Lady Noire. They're all rough variants of "Are you okay?!" along with an explanation that she just got the message from IF, along with a few ones of "Answer me already, Elliot!". I quickly text back an apology, saying that I was working and try my best to give the explanation.

"Um, Lady Blanc?"

"Yes, Elliot?"

"Would you mind, um… explaining that everything is okay to Lady Noire?" I ask, holding the phone out to her. "She um, doesn't seem to believe everything is okay."

Lady Blanc gives me a look that screams "You have got to be joking" as she takes the phone in her usual somehow expressionless yet entirely expressive way. She then uses it to dial Lady Noire's number, putting it up to her ear—

—before promptly yanking it away as a loud shouting comes through the phone.

"...hello to you too, Noire." Lady Blanc says after the yelling subsides. "Yes, I have Elliot's phone. Yes, I'm at the cafe—there's no need to get so bothered about it. Yes, it was my younger sisters…"

I decide to go into the kitchen to give them some privacy, where I also check I'm still well stocked on everything for tomorrow. I guess it won't be so bad if Lady Blanc is supervising Lady Ram and Lady Rom, but I'll probably have to work a little harder each night since the publicity is bound to attract more people again. Fortunately it shouldn't be as bad as when all four goddesses visited, though.

With that, I start preparing, grabbing more flour and other ingredients than usual. I'll have to hurry just a bit, as I'm already late tonight.

After preparing several mixes and batches, my routine is interrupted by a voice that can only be Lady Blanc's.

"Are you busy?"

I turn around as I close the fridge, seeing Lady Blanc standing at the entrance of the kitchen with my phone, door slightly pushed open.

"Noire wants to talk to you." Lady Blanc says, holding the phone out towards me.

"Oh, right, of course." I say, walking over and taking the phone. "Hello, Lady Noire."

" _No-i-re."_ She says, emphasizing the syllables. _"You keep forgetting."_

"Sorry…"

" _...Blanc told me what happened. Are you sure you're okay?"_

"Yeah, I'm totally fine."

" _Are you_ sure?"

I laugh, hearing Lady Noire laugh a bit in reply on the other side. "You know I'm a bad liar."

" _I know, but I also know you try your best not to make anyone worry about you."_

Sometimes it really does feel like talking to IF, haha. Despite knowing me for far shorter, Lady Noire seems to have come to understand me fairly quickly.

" _I'm allowed to worry about you, don't forget that."_

"Well, it wouldn't be easier for you if you didn't…"

" _No good. I absolutely refuse."_

"Ah, well, I guess I can't really fight that." I say, getting a light laugh from her. "Thank you for your concern."

" _You're, um, a friend, right?! Of course I'd be worried! This is why you couldn't come on last night, though, right?"_

"Yeah, was busy squaring things away and making sure I could still open up the shop today." I say, leaning back against the wall. "Is everything okay over there?"

" _Yeah, everything's going fine. I was going to try to visit this weekend, but it sounds like you have a lot going on."_

"Oh, I see… sorry."

" _It's not your fault."_

"I know, but I just feel that maybe if I had been a little more diligent…"

" _Stop with that."_ I hear, already imagining her chiding face in my mind. _"I'll find a different weekend off to visit. Maybe I'll bring Uni as well."_

"That sounds nice. Just let me know, I'll be sure to keep some extra pastries in stock."

" _Thanks, Elliot. Good night, then."_

"Good night, L… Noire."

I hear a small, happy giggle as I end the call, putting my phone in my pocket. When I leave the kitchen and head back out to the main cafe area, Lady Blanc has a pensive look on her face, but she shakes it off when she sees me.

"Is something wrong, Lady Blanc?"

"No, just thinking. So, have you given any thought to what Ram and Rom can do?"

"Hmm…" I put my hand on my chin and try to think about it. I don't know if I can trust them with serving customers and I normally just use visual spotting or call names for people who sit down to eat, so trying to come up with some kind of way for them to find who placed an order in the span of a few hours would be rough. Definitely not going to have them prepare any orders or take them, it'd take a while to train them…

Well… huh.

"Well, Lady Blanc, how does advertising sound?" I say, raising a finger in a lecture-style pose.

"Advertising?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, you know, just calling people out onto the streets and stuff like that. They can be right outside the store, too, so you won't have to worry too much and it's easy to keep an eye on them. It's still springtime as well, so it won't be too hot. And it's a harmless enough position, right?"

"That is true." She says, though I can feel that she wanted to work them a little harder. "Do you have anything else?"

"It would take some time to make sure they are able to do it right and Lady Blanc, while I don't mean to imply that they aren't capable of learning it properly, you are all very busy."

"No, I understand." She says, nodding. "It does work. Then, next question."

"Yes, Lady Blanc?"

"Do you have a work uniform? I know you had a part timer before."

"Ah, I shouldn't…"

She narrows her eyes at me, making me lose all my nerve to try to evade the topic.

"It wasn't a uniform as it was a general guideline. When my mentor ran the place there was a uniform, but I've changed it up a bit. Just business casual, to fit the kind of atmosphere the cafe has."

"I see. Then, I'll have them dress to the guidelines as well." She says in a voice that indicates that there will be no arguing over it. "Are you free this weekend?"

"Er, I suppose so, yes."

"Then, will you come with me to ensure that whatever clothes I pick out suit the guidelines?"

...Eh?

"L-lady Blanc, I'm sure that you won't need me there. I trust your judgement." I immediately say, getting a shake of the head from her.

"It's your shop, so ultimately you'll have final say. This will make it easier on both of us."

"Alright… but, um, are you sure if…"

"Ah, of course. We'd be out in public." Lady Blanc says, putting a hand on her chin. "Would you like for me to disguise myself?"

"That's up to you, Lady Blanc. I'll deal with it."

"I am asking for your opinion, Elliot." She says, a bit more forcefully. I can almost feel that Lady Blanc is starting to lose her patience with me and if there's anything I've heard about her, I'd rather that not happen.

...or I might not have a coffee shop for much longer.

"I don't… particularly mind. If it's too inconvenient for you, then I won't mind." I say, trying to add a conditional. Lady Blanc sighs, almost as if to say "That's as good as it's going to get" before nodding.

"Very well. I'll see what I can do."

After that, Lady Blanc leaves the shop. I lean up against the wall and sigh heavily. Here it goes again, huh…? Geez, I really can't catch a break. But I guess it's what I signed onto when I became friends with them.

Let's just hope this time it's not as chaotic as when I was with Lady Noire…

* * *

 **Finally back to a much more low tension chapter. Mostly just setting up the next mini-arc with Blanc. I wanted something a lot less uh,** _ **intense**_ **, I think, compared to the rising tension that was the Noire arc. I think it also fits Blanc's personality as well, being much more laid back and calm, matching to a more calm arc as well.**

 **I was also using this to start highlighting what I would call the "overarching" plotline, though it was a lot more direct in this case, especially when Blanc keeps attempting to get Elliot to show more spine for himself when it relates to the goddesses. You can kind of see this overreaching story from the start, wherein Elliot is utterly terrified that the goddess are showing up to eventually being able to talk to Noire and then go with her to the gala, and now starting to snowball when Blanc pushes the issues onto him. As I have part of the next chapter written, I would say that her motivations start to come a bit more to light there, but you're free to figure out why she does, haha.**

 **First off, as well, HOLY SHIT you guys are out of control. My phone kept blowing up after I posted the last chapter to the point I thought I did something wrong. Seriously put the pressure on for this chapter which was mostly just setting up the arc and meant to be more low key in nature. However, thank you all for such an outpouring of reviews, I was glad to see that everyone's been enjoying the ride.**

 **Second, oh God, it begins. I've already seen comments supporting the IF ship and ones supporting the Noire ship. Oh lawdy what have I done to myself this ain't good chief. I will now laugh my way through this and attempt to fool everyone into thinking I've had this all meticulously planned from the start (or is this all part of the plan). Regardless of which ship you're on, I hope you're enjoying it still. I** _ **do**_ **plan to move Noire into a more secondary focus as we move onto the Blanc arc, however I think I may slip in a chapter here or there that touches back onto Noire and I do plan to have her tie into the overall "story". If you wanted to think of it in another way, the Noire arc is what sets everything off and is the action portion, and the Blanc arc is a bit more introspective, focusing more on people reflecting on actions. Kind of fitting to each of their personalities, a bit, but the Blanc arc isn't going to be all sitting around and whatnot. Blanc's arc is almost more simple in nature, so I wanted to mix it in with segments where we kind of explore the history of the cafe.**

 **Regardless, I suppose I'll see you all in the new year. Thanks for sticking with me this whole time. It really does mean a lot to me. Oh, and if you happen to be going to Tekkoshocon in 2020, I'm trying to get a Neptunia panel in there so we'll see how that goes. Catch you all next time!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: So, in reflection, this chapter is really dry and boring. I'll work on making next one more exciting, but I may update this one in time. I got a little too caught up in the plot I decided on and forgot to make it entertaining. Go figure. Guess I'm still learning.**

* * *

 **Chapter 16:** Self-Reflection

* * *

If I was nervous when meeting Lady Noire for an outing before the gala, and if I was extremely nervous when meeting her at the gala, I don't know quite how many levels of nervousness I'm feeling right now, waiting for Lady Blanc at the agreed upon meeting point at the mall.

Since it was just to go shopping, I didn't feel like I needed to dress up, but I'm still kind of unsure if wearing black jeans was the way to go or if I should've worn khakis.

Additionally, since it was at ten in the morning, I wasn't sure if she had eaten anything, so I can see just how nervous I am by how much the orange juice in the carrying-tray I'm holding is shaking around in the plastic cups.

"Ah, there you are."

A voice from behind causes me to nearly jump. When I turn around, I find it is indeed Lady Blanc, thankfully not dressed as she normally is. It looks almost like a school uniform, actually. A light brown pleated, plaid skirt that matches the bow around her neck. She's also got on a light tan jacket that goes over her buttoned shirt, striking a very casual feel somehow. In her hands is a matching light brown purse that overall goes very well with the rest of her outfit. If I didn't recognize her voice, I'd be a little hard pressed to think it was Lady Blanc.

"H-hello, um…"

"It's fine to address me as only 'Blanc'."

"Ah, I see…" I say, having a feeling it was going to be that way.

"You won't have to worry about anything, Elliot." She says, adopting a very lecture style standing position. "Financier has already prepared the public statement for if anyone tries anything. I am also prepared to explain the situation, of which we are both aware."

"Y-yes, of course."

I almost sigh in relief, knowing that Lady Blanc is staying on top of all of this. It makes me feel much more at ease, knowing that it won't snowball out of control like it did with Lady Noire and the gala.

Somehow, she just feels definitely much more 'trustworthy'. It's almost like having IF here, as well. I feel like I can trust her with almost anything, in a sense.

"Oh, right! Um, I didn't know if you had eaten breakfast, so I got orange juice and a bagel for you." I say, holding out the tray that has two cups of orange juice on it along with one toasted bagel and a packet of cream cheese.

"Ah, thank you. You didn't have to, but it's appreciated."

We walk along afterwards, with Lady Blanc first taking the bagel and cream cheese. After she finishes spreading it, she takes one of the cups of orange juice, leaving the other one for me.

It's actually strangely peaceful. Unlike the silence with Lady Noire, I feel so calm despite the fact it's Lady Blanc by my side. Maybe it's just that she doesn't talk so much that helps, I don't feel a need to fill the air with something.

"May I ask you something?" She asks, suddenly breaking the silence.

"Y-yes, Lady Blanc?"

"Blanc."

"B… Blanc. Sorry."

She nods. "There is no need to apologize. Do you know anywhere we could start? I am not as familiar with this mall as you might be."

"Oh, right. Um… I know there's a few children stores on the second floor." I say, trying to recall the mall's structure. I don't come here often enough, but I should still remember a few things back from when I hung out here all the time in school.

"I see. Let's prioritize there, first."

"Of course, L… Blanc."

She gives a small smile, as if proud of me learning. It's still really stressful on me to address them only by name. I'm sure ninety-nine percent of people would definitely find it odd that I'm addressing a goddess only by their name, but I guess IF and Compa seem to do it without much thought. But then again, their relationship to the goddesses is just fundamentally different compared to mine…

Fortunately, the mall isn't exactly very busy on Sunday morning, so there aren't a lot of people here as we ride the escalator up. I catch Lady Blanc looking down on the children playing in the designated play area, generally being rambunctious but overall behaved.

"Something on your mind, La, er, Blanc?"

She blinks several times, shaking her head. "Just enjoying the view."

I open my mouth to say something, but can't quite find the words. There's something I'd like to say to her, as I think I know what might be going through her mind, but it's difficult to put into words.

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

Lady Blanc turns her head away and shakes her head. "You look like you wanted to say something, is all. The sentiment is appreciated."

"You're terrifying." I say almost automatically, forgetting who I was with for a second. "Er, sorry, it's just that—"

"I know, Elliot. IF and I are similar in that regard where we're good at picking up on subtle things. But, I have to be a little better about these things, since I have to watch over my sisters. They're not always honest when they think they'll get in trouble for it."

"Ah, I see… having younger siblings can be pretty exhausting, huh?"

"It can, but it can also be rewarding as well." She says with a worn-out, but ultimately triumphant grin.

"I can't relate, but… I'll take your word for it."

At this, we reach the top of the escalators and start to walk towards the area I'm fairly certain the children's shops are. Along the way, Lady Blanc finishes her juice and bagel and throws it out, so I quickly finish my juice so I don't have to carry it around the stores.

"Well, please be sure to point out anything you think would work." Lady Blanc says as we enter the first store. "I'll do the same, so we should be able to come up with a compromise easily if we're both searching."

"Right, of course."

"Don't be so nervous. I know you won't pick anything strange."

I almost want to vocalize the question of what strange is, but I suppose it's obvious enough. I didn't really have the intention of asking to have them in a maid outfit or anything like that, as no doubt that would be overstepping my bounds and actually _really_ creepy to ask for. I was thinking something very simple, though.

"Should we split up, then?"

"Ah, that's a good strategy La—" I'm quickly corrected by her glance, to which I nod after pausing. "Blanc."

"We'll meet up by the fitting rooms in…" She checks her watch. "Twenty minutes?"

"That sounds fine to me."

"Then, in a bit." She says, holding up her left hand as it to say 'bye'.

With that, she goes off, searching on one half of the children's section. I comb through the other half, looking for something that's snazzy enough for the cafe, but not too uncomfortable. Despite the fact they're goddesses, they do act a lot like kids, so if I get anything too formal there'll be a lot of protesting.

Hmm…

"Mhm, that should do the trick."

Also, while I would think Lady Blanc is going to end up paying for it, I can't help but want to pick as if I was going to pay for this, as it's technically the shop's uniform. Plus there's the weather to consider…

Thus, I end up settling for a two pack of short sleeve blouses and two solid black pleated skirts. I was hoping to find something that would help them at least have their own style to it, though, but I'll have to keep searching.

"Ah, I was wondering where the more dressy section was."

I turn my head, finding Lady Blanc who apparently managed to find two solid dark red colored aprons for kids that are close enough in color to my own.

"Good choice."

"Hm? O-oh, thank you." I say, turning my head back towards the clothes I selected. "They fit the weather and they're not too badly priced."

"Though, I would think getting brown skirts would work better with the apron color. You wear a dark red one, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah, I suppose I do." I say, feeling a bit embarrassed about being watched that closely. "It was kind of a de facto uniform, but if you want to match it that's convenient."

"Mhm. Ah, here, I know their sizes so let me look through."

I hand Lady Blanc the clothing I picked out, where she then scans through the racks and piles looking for the proper sizes.

"Though…"

"Hm?" Lady Blanc says she lays down the clothing I picked up earlier. "What is it, Elliot?"

"Oh, it's… I was just thinking that maybe we could give the uniforms a bit of personal flair, is all."

"What are you proposing?" She asks as I glance about the area.

After about five seconds, I find a pack of ribbons that can go around the neck. They're fairly cute and rather fluffy, the kind of things that kids would enjoy. Plus, there's already a light blue one and a pink one.

"Since they'll just be advertising, there's no need to wear the apron." I say, taking the ribbon set off the hook. "They can use these, right?"

Lady Blanc crosses her arms and closes her eyes, as if taking it into consideration. I get the feeling she wants to be at least a little bit hard on her siblings so they'll learn, but at the same time there's no need to go overboard. She sighs a little bit and nods.

"I suppose you're right. I'll go put the aprons back, then."

"Ah, perfect. Then I'll—"

"On second thought." Lady Blanc says firmly, cutting me off. She bluntly pushes the aprons into my hands, taking the ribbon set and the clothes we picked out.

"You go put them back. I'll meet you by the cashier."

She saw right through me, didn't she?

I nod, taking the aprons and hurrying to find where Lady Blanc got them from. It takes about five minutes as I want to be sure I got it right, but once I am sure of it I make a beeline for the register. Lady Blanc is already signing on the pad when she turns her head to me.

"Ah, just in time." Lady Blanc says, taking the bag and receipt from the cashier.

"I can get the bag for you." I say, holding out my hand, also partially glad I was trying to avoid using their names so I don't stumble on what to call them.

"It's light. There's no need. Ah, thank you." Lady Blanc says, giving a small nod to the cashier before we head out. The cashier herself looks a bit dazed, perhaps wondering if that's _really_ Lady Blanc.

Once we're out of the store, Lady Blanc turns to look at the store directory.

"L, erm, Blanc?"

"There's still something we need to get." She says, leaning if to check something.

"There is?" I ask as she traces down a name with her finger.

"My uniform, of course."

The thought hadn't occurred to me that we'd need to get that, leaving me a bit stunned at the fact Lady Blanc was asking me to stick around for this. Stunned enough that she had to gesture to snap me out of my stupor so we could get walking.

"Um… are you sure you're fine holding that bag, though?"

"Would it make you feel better to hold onto it?"

"Just… a bit, Blanc."

She pauses, then holds the bag out to me. I gingerly accept it, getting a nod from Lady Blanc.

"You should value yourself a little more, though. We had this talk, didn't we?"

"We did." I say meekly, Lady Blanc resuming her walk.

"Well, I suppose I should repeat myself, then."

"Sorry…"

"There's no need to apologize. If you need to hear it again, then I will say it until you learn." She says, oozing the air of an older sibling being as patient as possible. "Don't feel a need to bend over backwards for us, Elliot. We're people as well. If you'd like to hold onto the bag for me, then I'd like for you to do so not because I am a CPU. Think on that for a bit. While I think it's very nice you're raised with such polite manners, you need to learn that there are times that people would like to view you as an equal."

"Alright, I'll try."

"It will be quite helpful for your friendship with Noire as well. While you two are off to a good start, if you can't learn to treat her as a person, you'll have trouble. Likewise, if you don't voice your own stance on things, she's a very headstrong person, so you won't be able to get a word in and you'll be dragged around by her. While your interests mostly line up, I am sure there is something you two will disagree on, and it is _there_ it will be important that you can stand up for yourself."

"Understood."

"I hope so. Additionally, it's precisely this reason on why you had to pull all of the smoke and mirror during _that_ event."

The gala…?

"Obviously, attending that event with someone would cause a ruckus. However, if it were perhaps normal that anyone could go with them or perhaps even simply be friends with them, there wouldn't be a need to hide."

If it was normal that just an ordinary person could be friends with the goddesses, huh…? I wonder if that was the case, if I would've felt the need to hide so much.

"Your own behavior is exactly what fuels that kind of mentality. If you'd like to be able to show the truth without fear, you'll need to adjust how you think."

"I… I see."

Lady Blanc pauses, turning to face me. She seems to scan over me, as if checking that I'm okay.

"How about we have a seat for a while? You look like you could use a break. That was a lot to drop on you, my apologies." She says, gesturing to some benches by fountain in the mall. I quietly nod, with the two of us sitting down and facing said fountain in silence.

It's a bit hard to come up with anything to say. I glance over at Lady Blanc on occasion, but her eyes are closed like she's thinking hard about something so I turn my head to look back towards the water.

For a while, the only sound I can really hear is the water running down the fountain's streams. Even the sounds of the mall's music, the passing crowds, and children playing around seems to be drowned out.

"Better?"

I almost forget, just for a moment, that Lady Blanc is here with me as she talks while standing up.

"...yes, Blanc."

"Good." She says with a small nod.

"Thank you." I say, also getting up from my seat. Before I can open my mouth, she raises a finger to my mouth, silencing me. The look in her eyes tells me she knows what I was going to say, so I don't apologize. "But, can I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

"I can sort of tell what you're trying to do and I'm thankful that you're concerned, but why?"

I see her sigh slightly as we step to the side of a family shopping with their kids to give them more space to pass us.

"It would ruin the effect if I told you." She says, making sure to keep eye contact with me. "In a while, I can tell you. For now, I'd like for you to trust me."

I nod, not really having any reason not to trust her. And from what she said at the gala, this isn't to try to edge out any of the other goddesses. I'm a bit humbled to know I'm getting this much attention from her, even if it's for some obscure purpose.

"However, I've already told you everything you need to know. Don't think too much about it, though."

"Now I'm going to."

"Sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine… ah, right, there's a clothing store geared more for adults this way." I say, pointing down the way. Lady Blanc nods and follows my lead. As we enter the store, we're greeted with a "Good morning!", followed by a shriek of surprise and one of the attendants dropping their stack of shoeboxes. Another one of them quickly apologizes and asks us if there's anything we need, to which Lady Blanc says she's just looking around.

"This way."

"Eh?"

I find myself being gestured to follow Lady Blanc, though I was intending just to go look over in the men's section while she looked around. I figured I'd give her some space while she looked for things she thought would fit the cafe, but I guess that's not the case today.

"It seems you were recognized more here."

Lady Blanc offers a noncommittal shrug. "This is Neptune's city. It doesn't surprise me that not everyone recognizes me. There was bound to be someone who did, though. However, this will go by faster if we both search."

"Alright."

It doesn't take long to sift through the racks of blouses for something similar to Lady Ram and Lady Rom's blouses and there's plenty of black skirts to go around, though Lady Blanc seems to exude some sort of frustration at the amount they have of each size. I suppose she is a bit… petite, clothing size wise. While I never had too much trouble myself, I do remember in high school being on the receiving end of many complaints of never having things in the right size from my ex-girlfriend.

"I'll go try them on, now."

...eh?

"Wait, but—"

"They might be the right size, but I'm not familiar with this brand. I need to know how it fits me. There isn't a problem, is there?"

I'm swiftly defeated by that incredibly quick line of logic and can offer no such argument against it.

"I'll just wait right here, then."

"Thank you."

I force myself not to breathe a sigh of relief as I stand around the now rather empty women's section, grateful I managed to at least avoid that standard scene where I'd inevitably get dragged into the changing room. I honestly think I'd have a heart attack and would keel over out of fear if I heard Lady Blanc say, in that growl she's capable of, say "Peek and you're dead."

Although, IF is going to flip out if she finds out about this. Oh dear, I can already hear the "No way!" coming from her and the subsequent interrogation. I better prepare my heart as well.

But while Lady Blanc has told me this is partially to help with my friendship with Lady Noire. Though, a part of me can't help but feel like I'm missing something, or that there's something more to it than that. Lady Blanc is a fairly straightforward person though, so it feels wrong to assign some kind of ulterior motive to all of this.

I guess I can trust Lady Blanc, though. If I'm really that concerned, I can always talk to IF about it when she gets back.

Geez… one of these days, I'd like to be a little less reliant on her. But I guess that in my current state and how I talk to the CPUs, that's a bit out of the question. Maybe that's part of it, too. I must be placing a lot of stress on IF.

"Elliot."

I look up, finding Lady Blanc wearing a white blouse and a tan pleated skirt. It looks almost like my own clothing that I use for the cafe.

"Unfortunately, a white ribbon on a white shirt just looks tacky." She says, spinning around. "Does everything look okay?"

"Y-yes, of course. You look very stunning."

I see her scoff, then chuckle to herself as she turns to face me.

"They're a bit loose, but they should work. Is there anything you'd like to get?"

"No, no, I'm fine. Let's just get going before a crowd shows up."

Lady Blanc smiles a bit at that. "Indeed. Allow me to change back and then we'll leave."

* * *

"And so, you press this button right here for all of the pastries, and then they're in alphabetical order, by the type. There's also a big list of all of the menu items in alphabetical order if you press this button..."

"I see." Lady Blanc says, scanning the register menu. "Do you organize the pastries in the same way?"

"Yes, La—Blanc." I say, catching myself. She nods, turning back to the register.

She looks very beautiful, actually. If I didn't know any better, I'd have mistaken her for a new part time student trying their first job, much like when I was in high school. The outfit she got matched the twins, with her personal flair being a matching white beret along with the apron she was wearing as the white ribbon didn't work very well with her. As for why she decided to dress up for this mini-training, apparently she wanted to try it out so she knew what it felt like as she was working in those clothes.

We spent part of the afternoon learning some of the basics as Lady Blanc didn't want to just stand around, so I taught her how to man the register. It really takes me back to when I first started working here, but Lady Blanc is a quick study and has a keen eye, so she learns way faster than I did.

"Oh, you know, I suppose you did only buy one pair. Is it just for tomorrow?"

"Ah, I suppose we never clarified that. One day would be permissible, yes?"

"Well, we did all this for at least a day, so yes." I say as Lady Blanc taps her way through the menus again. "I wouldn't want to intrude too much on your own schedule. Running a nation is a lot of work."

"You'd be surprised by how much free time we have sometimes." Lady Blanc says with a small, knowing smile as she exits the register. "You'll be pretty busy tomorrow once the word gets out."

"Ah, yeah, I should probably prepare then. If there's nothing else I can do for you, Lady Blanc, I'd like to just get a head start on preparations."

"There's nothing else, but… I'd like to watch."

"Hm?"

"There are many bakeries around Lowee, but I rarely get the opportunity to watch them actually perform their craft. If you wouldn't mind, may I watch?"

"O-oh, sure…" I say, feeling a bit nervous about my usual recipes now. "Give me a second to get changed, I guess."

I definitely feel very self conscious later as I tie my apron up, after having changed into my usual work uniform. I think I'll stand out a bit tomorrow considering how they all have white blouses and I have a black button shirt, though. I could've gotten them black shirts, thinking about it, but it must have slipped my mind. That, and I think Lady Ram and Lady Rom would be a bit averse to wearing it. White is a much more comfortable color for them, I think.

As I mull this over to myself, Lady Blanc pulls in a stool and quietly watches from the side as I go through my usual recipe list. Croissants, then muffins, then the other kinds of breads like danishes, along with the various fillings.

After a while, as I get into the usual rhythm, I almost forget that Lady Blanc is even there. That fact always sits just in the corner of my mind, though, itching away as I try not to make any mistakes.

"Hmhm…"

"Though, I have to say it's a bit surprising that this shop isn't in Lastation."

"You aren't the first person to say that." I say with a bit of a smile while mixing the dough. "I suppose it is a bit strange, isn't it?"

"It is a bit logical in a sense you won't have a lot of competition, but most people try to align their menus to their respective CPU." Lady Blanc says with a nod. "But based on the pictures you have up, you aren't the original owner, correct?"

"That is correct, Lady Blanc."

"Perhaps you could ask him, when you have the chance."

"I could introduce you to him. Though, he'll probably have a heart attack if I did." I say, thinking about what kind of face he'd make if I showed up on his doorstep with a CPU.

"This is more for your sake, but perhaps if it wouldn't inconvenience him, then yes. I'd like to know just what was on his mind."

I briefly consider telling her about Gregory's late wife, Marianne, as I know she had some amount of influence on why Lapin House opened up here, but that's a fairly close guarded secret. The only other person who knows about that outside Gregory and I is IF, now that I think about it, when she found out when we met up at Gregory's house.

Actually, thinking on it, I don't think I've actually seen any pictures of her hanging around. Then again, it's been a few years and the photos have been swapped around a few times, especially after I came in and started working.

"Something on your mind?"

"Oh, just… some old memories about the shop, is all."

"I see. Speaking of, why did you start working here?"

"Ah, well…" I give a bashful smile, trying not to look up at Lady Blanc. "Back in high school, I wasn't exactly a hotshot or anything. My grades were pretty average and I struggled a bit at times, too. So, I decided to start looking for a job early."

"And that led you here."

"Mhm. I used to live… maybe a ten minute train ride away from here? The school is pretty close to here as well, so I could just walk from school to work. I saw a Help Wanted sign and applied, and I guess the rest is history."

"Your friends seem to have a lot of history with the shop, though, based on the pictures."

"Ah, yeah. This place is… home to a lot of happy high school memories." I say, smiling as I sprinkle in some chocolate chips. "That's all fairly old news now, though. Most of them are married or working, so we rarely get to see each other."

"And Melanie?"

"I'm surprised you remember her name."

"Considering how she was the one article out of thousands to claim you two weren't the same, it's easy to."

"Mhm. Well, as you can tell, she went off to become a journalist. Around the time we were thinking about college, we had to talk about what was going to happen with us. She was going off to Leanbox and I was going to stay here with the shop as Gregory was slowly turning over more and more to me. We both cried a lot, but I think we ultimately made the right choice."

"I'm… sorry to dig up any sad memories."

"It's not really sad, it's… well, I guess you know me, right?"

Lady Blanc nods. I can hear some cloth shuffling around, as if she's crossing her arms. "You did it in her interest, didn't you? Can I assume that you didn't want to break up?"

"If you ask the me from back then, then certainly no, I wanted us to stay together and fight for every inch. But, I guess I thought I'd only hold her back."

"Good grief, it's worse than I thought." I hear her mumble. "Now it makes sense why you'd push yourself so hard for the gala. Kei asking you must've triggered an impulse."

Before I can say anything, she keeps speaking.

"It's okay. We'll work on that, too."

"Lady Blanc?"

"Blanc. But, I'm surprised you've been able to progress so far with IF as friends in this case."

"Well, it's… I don't know. I feel just… comfortable with IF."

Lady Blanc sighs, shaking her head and mumbling something under her breath. I don't catch anything specific, but it sounds something like "think the same way". I choose not to press it, as she clearly didn't want me hearing it.

"Regardless, I think it's probably for the best if you change your mentality. I'm not a fan of meddling in things like this, however in this case you are quite close to Noire. While Neptune should be the one doing it, I think we'll both agree that Neptune might not be the best cut out for something like this."

"Ahaha… maybe."

"In the end, I suppose you _are_ learning. You're able to call me by name and are fine with us working underneath you as you'll be managing. I also heard you argued with Uni."

"I… well, it wouldn't do if Lady Uni was to get the wrong idea about Lady Noire and I."

"Regardless, being able to say something and speak up is progress in its own right."

"Mhm, mhm."

We make a bit more idle talk as the rest of the time continues to pass by, talking more on lighter topics to avoid a heavy atmosphere. Lady Blanc occasionally asks why I chose something for a particular recipe, to which my response is usually that's how it was done and I don't feel a need to change it. Occasionally she takes a break to go refresh her memory on the register, during which I take a break as well to observe. She's definitely a quick study, already mastering its usage even if it's pretty intuitive.

I still can't help but wonder why Lady Blanc has intervened so much on my sake. She's mentioned a few times that it has to deal with my dealings with Lady Noire, so I could always ask her… but then again, I don't think that would help much in terms of understanding. But I can at least understand why she wants me to be better at treating them much more like people rather than goddesses.

As I look at one of the older photos hanging on the wall, just above the jukebox, I feel a smile coming onto my face. It's a photo of back when I graduated, with all of my friends from school and me dressed in the cafe's old uniform, apron and everything. I guess… if we all had been so guarded with each other, there's no way we could have formed a lasting friendship that still somewhat persists today even if we don't see each other much.

So maybe that's why she keeps pushing this. There's just no way I could be friends with Lady Noire if I keep myself guarded the way I do. But it's not like that's easy to fix. Even if I treat her like a normal person, she's still a goddess and I'm just… well, me. But on the other hand, she does want to keep me around her, or so it seems.

"Eh?"

I'm brought out of my thought train by something pinching my cheek. Lady Blanc squeezes a bit harder, looking right into my eyes.

"S-sorry, did you say something, Lady Blanc?"

"Just Blanc. After all, I'm in your care now, Manager."

I double take at the usage of the word, feeling a bit bashful afterwards. "R-right. Well, just be sure to be on time tomorrow. You can feel free to show up about an hour after the shop opens, that way Lady—"

Lady Blanc raises a finger, interrupting me. I already know what correction she's asking me to make.

"—Ram and Rom won't be advertising unnecessarily."

"I see."

I know she can definitely tell it was something more along the lines of 'So they wouldn't have to wake up so early', but Lady Blanc is probably playing nice.

"Well, I shall set that as the time we should arrive, but there won't be a problem if we arrive earlier, yes?"

"I don't… suppose so." I say, not knowing how to slip out of this one. Well played, Lady Blanc.

"Then, we'll be sure to arrive by that point." She says, very much signalling her intention. I suspect though, if she did not want me to know, that her stare that has no openings in it would have concealed that from me. Part of me is wondering if she's trying to get me to put my foot down harder, but this is something that's fairly low priority anyways.

"Mhm, thank you, La… Blanc." I say, catching myself halfway. "Oh, and please don't worry about lunch tomorrow. It won't be too much harder to make more than I usually do."

"You don't need to worry yourself with that. You work enough as it is, so we'll bring out own lunch. Besides, this is a punishment for them, remember?"

"I suppose so, but still… Well, I guess you're right. It's nothing urgent, anyways."

I glance at Lady Blanc, expecting to see some kind of annoyed expression in the furrow of an eyebrow, but she seems fairly nonplussed about it. I suppose in the long run it's nothing really major when you compare it to the shopping earlier. Something like that, where I should have control, is where Lady Blanc wants me to vocalize what I want more and to think of them more as people. However, in this situation I'm assisting Lady Blanc, so I'm moreso following her lead. There's times for me to be more adamant in what I want and times when I need to just let things go. In Lady Blanc's eyes, I think she thinks that I put everything into the second category, which won't help in the long run.

I won't know for certain, but… I suppose I need to show my thanks to Lady Blanc at some point. I could have a hand at trying some of the pastries that are typically made in Lowee, when I have the chance. I don't know how much longer she'll be here, so I'm on the clock.

"Mhm."

"If there's nothing else you have to ask of me, Lady Blanc, then I think that's everything I have for you today."

She nods slightly before looking at the door. "Ah, that's right. I wouldn't want to interfere with your time with Noire. She's been very worried about you."

At this, Lady Blanc's eyes close and she looks slightly more annoyed.

"B-blanc?" I ask a bit nervously.

Lady Blanc takes a breath, looking a bit more calm now. "Ah, sorry. I shouldn't bother you with that. It's not your fault."

"Please don't blame yourself entirely, either." I say, trying to word it a bit nicely. I've only known Lady Blanc for a short while, but I already understand that despite her complaints, she's very protective of her sisters.

"I appreciate the sentiment, Elliot. You don't have to be so afraid, but it's understandable why." Lady Blanc says with just the slightest bit of regret in her voice.

"You um, do have a bit of a reputation for getting very fiery." I say, putting out a smile. "But you weren't the one who caused the incident in the first place, Blanc. If it would help, please feel free to put some of it on me as well, as I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have."

Lady Blanc gives me a disapproving look, so I follow up quickly.

"As… a friend, is all." I say, trying to keep contact with her. "Or as an acquaintance, if I'm being too—"

At this, Lady Blanc smiles, shaking her head. "No, friend is fine. We're not so distant as to be simply acquaintances. But thank you. Of course, I'll be sure to assign the blame to where it belongs."

"I see. Well, that's all I think I'd like."

Lady Blanc nods before exiting the counter area, going for the door. "Well, thank you again. It is getting late now, so I'll take my leave. See you tomorrow, manager."

"H-hey, it's not fair that you get to call me that and I have to address you by name." I mumble, though Lady Blanc manages to hear it and pauses as the door is halfway open.

"That is a fair point. Then, I will see you tomorrow, Elliot."

"See you tomorrow, L— _Blanc_."

With that, she steps out, the door closing behind her as she walks away. Oh geez, just like IF said, here it goes again…

* * *

 **There we go, done. Sorry it took so long, but I had to study for a certification exam (passed, thankfully). This chapter was originally a bit shorter, but I added some additional scenes partway through. Also, I can't believe I had to go reading through my old chapters just so I could remember what color Elliot's apron was. And sweet Nep, these chapters keep getting longer and longer. Chapters 5ish used to have like, 4-5k lengths and now we're at the point of hitting 6-7k and more pages naturally. I swear, the finale of this story is going to end up being friggin like 60 pages.**

 **I think it was alright, just an easygoing shopping trip with Blanc. I thought to make Blanc's reasoning a little more explicit, where it's mostly spelled out but just vague enough it's not direct; essentially, she's trying to get him to a point he can say "no" to Noire, since Blanc realized what kind of person he is as I felt Blanc is pretty good at picking up on subtle things and putting clues together very fast.**

 **I did like having the dynamic where Blanc has to play the "bad cop" to her little sisters, but the scene with the escalator kind of hinted she'd like to have a normalish relationship with them as well. Having Blanc start sort of priming Elliot to be more selfish/treat the CPUs more as equals has been pretty fun, too, where she explains how she wants him to think about carrying the bag and also how he's contributing to the fact that he had to hide from the media.**

 **One of the scenes I added closer to the last minute was the talk about Melanie, Elliot's ex-girlfriend. As I've said before, I wanted to keep her mostly off-screen kind of like a ghost, with the past of her and Elliot still continuing to haunt around to the present day. In this small snippet, Blanc got a glimpse into the fact Elliot is really a (stupidly) selfless guy at times, which ties back all the way to Chapter 2, wherein Elliot let Nepgear have the last condensed milk and trying to lie despite not having an umbrella and Chapter 10 where he quickly works to get the kids the stuffed animal they were trying to get. There was also a line back then where he states that he pushed himself for Noire in Ch10 because he felt their outing was partially an extension of his service of the coffee shop. Thinking back on it too, there was never a point where Elliot considered turning down Kei's request that he go with Noire as well.**

 **So, here we are now, with Blanc trying to get him to change his ways. Similar to Noire is how she forces him to use her name without the "Lady" prefix, but also went a bit further and is now putting him in a position where he's in charge of her. If this story were any more goddamn weeb though it'd be like switching from "sama" to "san", but thank Nep we're past those years. If you'll excuse me I need to go trauma-cry in the corner.**

 **Blanc's arc so far has been a lot of introspection, I feel. I would like to have a more IF-centric or Noire-centric chapter to break the trend soon (mostly for some pacing), but with how I've written it so far it'll have to wait at least until after next chapter. Making Blanc kind of a mentor/guiding figure felt kind of right for her though, as I've given her a more active role in raising her sisters. It'll probably be less shiptastic than Noire's arc, but I like having Elliot and Blanc's almost-sibling kind of relationship.**

 **Also I'm crazy, since this is Chapter 16 and as of right now I'm writing Chapter 20, with everything planned out until about Chapter 23. I also had a breakthrough in what could be a Vert arc, so I won't have to be lazy and skip it. Basically, I hit a massive inspiration boost and things kind of surged. As for what gave me that surge, watch** _ **Weathering with You**_ **if you haven't. I'll say that the soundtrack definitely influenced the addition of 2 scenes down the road.**

 **Anyways, that's all for this chapter. See you next time!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: So, sorry for last chapter being super boring. Hopefully this chapter is far less dry. Now featuring 100% more Neptune showing up.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17:** Fun-ishiment

* * *

"Let's do our best today!"

I try to give an encouraging smile to Lady Ram and Lady Rom, who are dressed in their work uniforms and also now have several pamphlet printouts of the menu that they can hand to passerbys right outside the shop.

"L-let's do our best today!" Lady Rom says back, also giving a smile, with Lady Ram saying the same but somewhat less enthusiastically. I can tell there's a bit of strain here though, probably because this is still a punishment, but I think they're glad to have gotten off a bit easy.

"It's still early, so they can sit around for a while." I say to Lady Blanc. "Have you all had breakfast?"

"We already did." Lady Blanc replies back as she glances at the morning light outside. "What time should Ram and Rom stand outside?"

"Well, I would say maybe thirty minutes from now? It will be slightly before the big rush, so we can start to get more people in."

"I see." Lady Blanc says, looking at her watch. "Okay, that should be fine. Ram, Rom, sit by the counter."

With that, I head back into the kitchen, as Lady Blanc offered to take the register for the day as she's an incredibly quick learner. It does free up a lot of time for me to focus on keeping my production up during the day, as that's no doubt the hardest part of the business.

"Ah, right—" I peek my head out through the kitchen doors, getting Lady Blanc's attention. "—if you have any trouble, don't hesitate to come get me."

"Of course. Thank you, Elliot."

There's nothing too much different throughout the day, but it feels easier when I can focus purely on making more pastries and food throughout the morning.

Granted, it doesn't take very long for the line to form, and I can already hear through the doors people expressing their surprise at the CPU and CPU Candidates of Lowee being here. Likely it's already making its way through the internet and someone's informing the local news.

Well IF, watch over me for just a bit, okay? But if I remember correctly, the weekend has passed by so she should be back in town already. I'll probably have to deal with her teasing later.

"Elliot."

I pick my head up, finding Lady Blanc looking through the doors. "What's going on?"

"The morning rush you predicted is here, can I have a bit of help? I don't want to slow things down too much."

"Oh, sure."

I suppose that a day of training wouldn't help her with all of the coffee making, since while she's observed it and I have the instructions still written down, it'll take longer due to her having to think it through whereas I can do it purely on instinct.

"What orders do we have so far?"

Lady Blanc gestures to the list of receipts taped to the counter on the side, indicating what orders we have. I nod and get to work, hearing Lady Blanc taking orders and giving people their pastries behind me.

"Thank you, your vanilla mocha will be out shortly."

I glance over at Lady Blanc, who gives me a slight nod back at locking eyes with me for a second. I see… that's actually pretty good.

As I continue to work on the current drinks, Lady Blanc verbally calls out what each one is to each customer, allowing me to focus and not waste time looking up what the orders are, though we have to make an exception for when someone places multiple drinks as a verbal confirmation of what they're ordering could be fairly clunky.

My hands are like a small whirlwind, picking up cups and adding in flavors despite the reduced efficiency as the replacement machines haven't arrived yet. However, because Lady Blanc is smoothly taking orders, it almost feels like there's no delay at all.

"Alright, I got one vanilla mocha, two hot chocolates, an iced latte, two green teas, and a caramel macchiato!" I call out, sliding the array of drinks forward on the pick-up counter. There isn't a moment's rest however, as it's immediately onto the next batch of drinks in my head.

At around ten o'clock, the last of the big rush leaves the door. I can hear Lady Blanc audibly sigh in exhaustion, having spent the last hour and a half or so taking orders at rapid speed.

"Feel free to have a seat—" I pause, catching myself. "—Blanc."

Lady Blanc moves over to the other side of the counter, mostly to rest her feet, as she still sits up straight. "That was… an experience."

"Sorry… I should've known of the attention it would cause."

"We were both aware of it. It's just that we may have underestimated how quickly it would spread." Lady Blanc says back, looking outside. Lady Ram and Lady Rom are saying hello to people passing by, pointing inside and also giving them a menu.

"Well, I think you deserve a break. You should go out and check on them, if they'd like to sit around and wait until the lunch rush. There's no use standing around outside while most people are settled in for work."

"Oh, thank you."

Lady Blanc gets up from her seat and opens the door, calling out to the twins. They come inside and quickly take a seat while I look around and eventually pull out two bottles of orange juice that I slide over to them.

"Hey, hey, this is pretty fun!" Lady Ram says, proudly showing off her very much thinned out stack of fliers.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves. Blanc, is there anything I can get for you?"

"Some cold water, please."

I smile, filling up a cup of water for her and putting some ice in before handing it to her. "Tough morning, right?"

"Mhm."

"How about you, L—" I notice the look from Lady Blanc and immediately correct myself. "—erm, you, Rom?"

The blue-ribbon wearing twin uses her fliers to partially hide her face as she speaks. "It… was a bit scary with all the people, but it was kind of fun."

"There might be more people in the afternoon, considering how word will spread." I mumble, putting a hand on my chin. I glance over at Lady Blanc, who looks up from her water. "Would you like to accompany your sisters outside for the afternoon? I can handle the register myself."

"Are you sure?"

"It can't be worse than when all four of you showed up." I say with a small smile, earning a sigh from Lady Blanc. "I'll be fine."

Lady Blanc thinks on this for a bit before she nods. "Thank you, Elliot."

Granted, I doubt that anyone would be willing to actually mess with the CPU Candidates, especially because Lady Blanc is well… _right there_.

"However, I think they'll be fine. I trust that even without my supervision, they'll continue to work diligently."

Despite the calm way of saying that, I can definitely feel the pressure that Lady Blanc is exerting in the air. It's honestly a bit frightening and I manage to successfully suppress a shiver from going down my spine.

"Though, it's only a matter of time before someone tries to get a news story." I mumble, putting my hand on my chin. "Are you sure you don't want to be there to give a word?"

Lady Blanc gives me a look, likely trying to gauge my intentions. Unlike some of the other times, this is a legitimate concern of mine, insofar as that the twins were very eager to bother Lady Noire and I about what our relationship was. I'm a bit nervous if they might do something drastic or say something that I'd have to explain thoroughly, so it would help if Lady Blanc was out there to help curb that.

As if discerning that this isn't one of those things where I'm just trying to alleviate any burdens they have, Lady Blanc leans back in her chair and nods a little more definitively this time around.

"Very well. I suppose you do raise a valid point. As this is my fault for insisting on this, I will take responsibility."

Please don't say such a misleading line in public, Lady Blanc…

"You look like you want to say something."

"A-ah, no, it's… thank you for your concern." I say, starting to falter underneath her stare. "Anyways, the main lunch rush doesn't start for a while, so please feel free to take a break. If there's anything you need from me, I'll just be in the kitchen preparing extra pastries. Oh, but let me go print out some extra pamphlets as well, so you aren't left without any."

Lady Blanc nods as I head for the door upstairs, unlocking it then relocking it behind me as I go up the stairs. It doesn't take that long to print out a few pamphlets of the menu on the cardstock I also remembered to go quickly by from the convenience store after Lady Blanc left. I'm glad I remembered to get it, though. It would've been a bit embarrassing to have had to print it on normal paper.

When I come back out and lock the door behind me again, I see Lady Blanc taking an order from someone and already starting to prepare it. It's fairly easy to tell that while she has a very good eye for following the exact letter of the recipe, her movements aren't flowing and have little bits of hesitation as if double checking herself each time. Judging from where she's looking around and what she's done so far, I estimate we're out of the vanilla flavoring syrup. Despite the impassive stare on her face, I can tell what she's doing—likely, Lady Blanc is trying to remember where she's seen the vanilla flavoring, doubly so as her sisters are watching.

While I don't know what it's like to have siblings, I definitely remember goofing up when I tried very hard to impress my girlfriend whenever she came to visit. It would always be the silliest things, like completely forgetting that of course the whipped cream would be in the fridge or misplacing a teabag. We want to look our best for those we think the best of, I suppose.

I quietly move back behind the counter, putting the pamphlets to the side as I kneel down, opening a cabinet and pulling out a fresh package.

"Ah, just a moment sir, we'll have your drink out in a second."

Lady Blanc turns towards me, but I give a nice big smile despite the fact I know she probably reads right through me as I'm looking away from her, unable to face her right in the eyes.

"I was in a bit of a hurry last night, so some things might have gotten mixed up. Sorry about that."

"It's… not a problem. It's more of a problem that we're taking too long."

"Ah, right, of course."

With that, I hurry up and quickly replace the empty syrup bottle, throwing out the old one and allowing Lady Blanc to finish the drink. She slides it over the counter to the waiting customer, giving a "Thank you, please come again" with a small smile.

After he leaves, Lady Blanc looks towards me. I can only muster a small, awkward smile, trying not to collapse under her admittedly not-too-inquisitive stare this time around. After a brief silence that hangs, I hear her say…

"Thank you."

"Just helping out, La— _Blanc_." I say, catching myself at the last second. "We're all working together, aren't we?"

She gives a quiet nod at that while I pick up the newly printed pamphlets and hand them out to Lady Ram and Lady Rom, who take a bit of enjoyment out of the small warmth freshly printed paper still has.

Time goes by fairly slowly after that, but soon enough it's eleven thirty.

"The lunch rush should be starting soon." I say to Lady Blanc, moving out of the way so she can get to the other side of the counter. "I haven't seen anyone who looks like the press talking to your sisters yet, but that might change during all of the chaos."

"Mhm. Thank you, again."

"Don't worry about it. Oh, and here."

Lady Blanc raises an eyebrow as I go into the kitchen and come back out with three bagged pastries which I hold out to her.

"I know you have lunch, but in case it's a while before you're able to have a break, I made some cream bread. It's not too sweet, but—"

Lady Blanc sighs, but accepts the pastries anyways. I expect to hear a comment about how I'm not supposed to give these during a punishment, but instead I hear a mumble about "the kind of behavior that gets one entangled in troubles". I want to question it, but decide it's probably better to not let her know I heard it.

"Thank you, Elliot. I hope it's not that bad, but we'll see."

"Good luck."

I wave her off as she gestures for her sisters to get up from their chairs and head out the door. The line is already forming as they begin their work, as no doubt the word has already spread throughout the morning and those who weren't able to come then are trying their best to come now.

Taking a deep breath, I mentally prepare myself for what surely will be an onslaught of orders. Here we go.

The lunch and slightly-after-lunch-to-grab-a-dessert rush is almost a complete blur. Fortunately it is somewhat stalled as people outside seem to be asking Lady Blanc for a picture, no doubt wanting to capture them in a very rare setting. I can even see some news vans through the windows already pulled up, trying to catch the latest scoop.

I fortunately, however, seem to encounter far less people bothering me for a comment on this whole thing, probably because Lady Blanc is keeping them occupied and potentially scaring them off. I think. Maybe. Or maybe I'm just lucky today and won't be so lucky tomorrow.

Granted, that all goes out the window when I hear a certain female voice outside.

"Blanny, I challenge you to a duel of cuteness!"

Oh dear. I suppose I should've seen this coming, but I was quietly hoping it wouldn't.

At the very least, everyone's attention turns outside. I quickly pardon myself from the counter, saying I'm just going to check on the situation outside. When I get out there, it's about what I expected. Lady Blanc is with Lady Ram and Lady Rom, "confronting" Lady Neptune who is accompanied by a very fidgety Lady Nepgear.

"Hey, Elly!" Lady Neptune says, all the attention suddenly on me as I started to backpedal into the shop. "Good, you're he—hey, don't run away, you coward!"

I stop as soon as my foot touches the ground behind me. It seems I won't be able to escape.

"S-sorry, Lady Neptune, I just thought not to keep my customers waiting once I had confirmed the situation."

"I can handle them."

Before I can react, Lady Blanc retreats into the shop, mumbling a simple "Sorry, but please deal with this" as she passes by me. Ah…

I move behind Lady Ram and Lady Rom, intent on backing the shop with… whatever is going on. "Lady Neptune, may I ask what the occasion is?"

"I got word that two cute CPU candidates were helping with your shop and humbly nominate that Nepgear also join in!"

"E-eh?! That's not what you told me! You said you just wanted to go get pudding!"

"Huhu, learn fast, Nepgear!" Lady Neptune says, pounding her chest twice with a smile before pointing right at me. "So, Elly, tell me—is Nepgear cute enough to help?"

There's a landmine buried in that question. Actually, the landmine isn't really buried at all. Frankly it's not even a landmine, it's just a very large, blimp-sized bomb that was announced with a marching band and airhorns.

"Er, cuteness is not a factor that Lapin House uses to determine if someone is capable of working here." I say with a nervous smile. "After all, I'm not very cute, am I?"

That manages to get a chuckle out of the crowd here. I then kneel down so I'm eye level with Lady Ram and Lady Rom, giving them an encouraging smile. "Now then, you two, it seems we have two very important guests. Let's do our best to invite them inside, okay? I'll be right with you."

"M-mhm!"

The pressure of the cameras is definitely making them nervous. It's making me nervous, that's for sure, but I stand up and stand next to Lady Ram and Lady Rom before giving them a nod. They both move forward and hold out a menu to Lady Neptune and Lady Nepgear.

"Welcome to Lapin House, the line is a bit long but here's a menu to look over!" Lady Ram says, confidently leading them off.

"W-we also have pudding, Neptune… And there's a coupon..." Lady Rom follows, pointing out where it is on the menu printout.

"Yeah, yeah! It's really good! There's lots of other sweets as well!"

To complete the whole package, I give a light bow with a service-focused smile. "If it's not too much trouble, please do consider having something. There's some pudding for you, if you'd like. However, to be fair to the other customers, I'd like to humbly request that you wait in line."

"Hmhmm, pudding does nice… maybe—wait, this is just a distraction! You nearly got me to fall for it, but we won't! I've seen through your tricks!"

"Oh, I didn't know you sold cream bread." Lady Nepgear says, looking at the menu she was offered. "I hope you're not sold out."

"Nepgear!"

"It's hard to find a bakery that makes these in Planeptune, right, sis? And they sell out pretty quickly."

"Are they your favorite, Lady Nepgear?" I ask, tilting my head as I give another winning smile.

"Hmmm, just a bit." She says, grinning back as she puts a finger on the corner of her lip.

"Well, hopefully we won't sell out right now, but I have some more currently baking."

"Gah, he's already roped in Nepgear!"

"Come on, sis. The line isn't getting any shorter."

"Wha—Nepgear, wait! Waaaait!"

Of course, it's all likely in good fun, as Lady Neptune doesn't put up any real resistance to her sister dragging her into line. I clap twice, gesturing for Lady Ram and Lady Rom to come over, and once again kneel down to be eye level with them.

"Good job, you two. Please continue to warmly invite everyone into the store, okay?" I say, giving another smile. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to attending to everyone you two have helped bring in. Please keep up the good work."

With that, I shoot them both a thumbs up, getting one in return. And of course, immediately beat a hasty retreat back into the store as the reporters call my name and ask for official statements, but I manage to get away without giving them a single word.

* * *

Lady Neptune and Lady Nepgear leave the shop after getting their orders, with Lady Nepgear leaving a sizable tip. As they pick up their orders, Lady Neptune reached over the counter to pat me on the head, saying "Good job!" as she left with a satisfied smile on her face. I don't think she means any harm, but this is just a way of lightening the mood for everyone.

That, and maybe she just wanted an excuse to go clean out about three fourths of my pudding stock.

It's a struggle not to sigh in relief as the line finally starts to die down around the one forty-five mark, with the line slowly returning to its natural pace. Instead of sprinting to get orders done, I'm more able to take my time and have a chat with people as I prepare their drink.

"Come again, and have a nice day!"

With that, the last of those in line leaves the shop, where I hear Lady Blanc (who switched out with me after Lady Neptune came into the shop), Lady Ram, and Lady Rom greet them with a "Thank you for stopping by" as they enter the cafe.

"Can I get you anything?" I ask, smiling for the clearly exhausted Lady Blanc who makes sure her younger sisters are nice and seated before sitting down herself. "Let's see, perhaps a mocha with a hint of vanilla, L—Blanc?"

"Yes, please."

"How were the pastries?" I ask, starting to prepare her drink. "And anything for you two?"

"O-orange juice, please…" Lady Rom says. "U-um, we handed out all of the pamphlets, too…!"

"Yeah, everyone took one!" Lady Ram adds on, holding out her empty hands. "And it was really good!"

"I'm happy. Thank you for doing such a good job." I say back with a friendly smile, putting their drinks out for them. "Ah, just a moment."

I finish Lady Blanc's drink and set it out in front of her, sliding the cup and saucer forward. "One vanilla mocha. Should I go heat up your lunch?"

Lady Blanc shakes her head 'no' as she sits up and drinks her mocha. "I'll get it in just a bit. May I use the kitchen?"

"Of course, go ahead."

"Additionally, thank you for the pastry. I don't think I would have made it through without having it."

"Our sister would've gotten really mad at those journalists after Neptune showed up!" Lady Ram says with a teasing smile, Lady Blanc's eyebrow furrowing in the background. "And then there might not be a shop anymore!"

"Ram, quiet." Lady Blanc says with what I hope I'm imagining is the smallest bit of embarrassment in her voice.

"I'm… glad?" I say, trying not to step on a landmine here.

"That makes one of us." Lady Blanc grumbles. "But I suppose this is my just desserts, as I insisted on this. I just hope it doesn't get worse."

"Same here. Ah, though, I don't really have too much else for you all to do. There's a small spike in the evening for dessert after dinner, but I think I'm out of cardstock so there's no more pamphlets to print out."

"They can stand around and call people into the shop, can't they?"

"I suppose that's true, but that rush is already past five o'clock." I say, nodding. "For the most part, I tried not to keep my part timer I had before here past then, so he could at least go home and have dinner with his friends in college. Therefore, I don't want to keep them any longer than that. Aside from that, there's nothing much to do, though."

"There's always cleaning, right?" Lady Blanc says, eyeing the two who look a little nervous. "Maybe it could be a bit of practice for your own rooms."

I try not to laugh, knowing my room isn't exactly the cleanest either. Everything from the mall is slowly starting to make a little more sense now. Lady Blanc is really trying her hardest to make sure that her siblings grow up to become more responsible and aren't spoiled to the core. Perhaps she's hard on them because she's the only person who's capable of being hard on them and the only person whom her harshness will stick. However, it's at odds at her wanting to have a carefree and very close kind of relationship, much like what I saw at the mall. When she was staring down at the kids playing in the play area, I'm sure she might have been wishing that was what her siblings could be like, but they have an incredible burden to bear being the CPU Candidates.

"Um, I suppose I can get the dustpan, the broom, and a washcloth. Just come get me if anyone needs something, though."

It doesn't take long to fetch the items needed for cleaning, and soon enough Lady Ram and Rom are off wiping down the tables and sweeping the floor while Lady Blanc goes to prepare their lunch, which end up being some small club sandwiches, with the oven being used just to get the cheese to melt and to add a bit of toast to them.

As for me, I settle for a simple salad I had packed the night before, with just a bit of grilled pork, but I wait until Lady Blanc and her sisters are done with their meal so that way they won't be interrupted if someone comes in.

Lady Ram and Lady Rom don't get to work until after they finish eating, with Lady Blanc taking the register. That leaves me free to go into the kitchen after my meal and just work on making some additional pastries for tonight along with starting to prepare mixes for tomorrow.

Once they're done cleaning, Lady Ram and Lady Rom mostly act as greeters and apparently, with Lady Blanc's suggestion as she informed me while I was mixing some dough, helping people find a good seat while they waited for their order if they were sitting in.

Once it's five o'clock, I put down the dough, wash my hands, and step outside, finding Lady Blanc chatting with someone familiar.

"Oh, IF, hey!" I say, waving as I step up to the counter. "Did, er, Blanc already get your order?"

"Oh, yeah, she did. Glad to see you're doing okay." She says back, looking just a bit tired with some bags underneath her eyes.

I glance over, finding that she's brought two rather large blue suitcases with her. "Did you come over straight from the airport?"

IF scratches the back of her head with her left hand, her cheeks turning just the slightest bit pink. It's not like her to get embarrassed about that sort of thing…

"She was concerned—" Lady Blanc starts.

"I had a good reason!" IF says, cutting Lady Blanc off. "Besides, I had to come see the damage for myself. Nep's embellishment didn't help at all."

"Well, please feel free to look about as you wish." I say with a comforting smile, trying to ease IF's worries. "But I'm fine, really."

"Mhm…"

I notice off to the side Lady Blanc smile at IF. There seems to be a silent conversation between them, which only causes Lady Blanc to become more amused and IF being more frustrated. I take the time to quietly make a cup of hot chocolate and slide it over to IF.

"I did order a latte." She says with a knowing smile, all the tension fading from her face. "But… the thought's appreciated, Elliot."

"I'll have that latte right out, then. Let me handle this one, Blanc."

"Whoa, that's a shocker." IF says as I start preparing her drink. "Since when did you drop the 'Lady'?"

"Since she won't let me use it while she's working here…" I mumble, feeling Lady Blanc's slight glare into the back of my head. I think it's worth it though, as I hear IF laughing.

"Blanc, really?"

"I thought it best for the position."

IF laughs a bit harder at this, shaking her head. "Okay, Elliot, you can call me 'Lady' if you've wanted to call someone politely."

"Of course, Lady IF."

There's a pause as IF looks straight at me with a curious expression. The two of us lock eyes, trying not to be the one to crack. I'm not smiling, I'm not smiling, I'm not...

"Would you two idiots just laugh already?"

"Awww, you're no fun, Blanc. I was about to win, too." IF says, huffing her chest.

"No, no, I think I had it." I then pause, remembering what time it was. "Ah, right, the reason I came out. Um, Ram, Rom, come here, please."

I step on the other side of the counter as the two twins come up to me. I clap my hands together and give a big, winning grin as I kneel down to be at their height level.

"Okay, that's all for today. Thank you very much for your help, it was great to have you both here."

"U-um, it was actually kind of fun… I'm glad we were able to help, after we, um…"

"It's okay, it's okay. What's more important is that you were able to learn something, Lady Rom."

"But hey, hey, this was actually pretty fun. Can we do it again?" Lady Ram asks, hopping up and down with all of the excitement in her. I wish I could be that energetic after a day of work.

"Um…" I glance back at Lady Blanc, giving an apologetic smile. "I think you would have to ask your older sister about that."

I can already see IF trying not to chuckle as the twins immediately run over to look up at their sister, sparkles in their eyes.

"Sis, can we? Can we do this again?"

The conflict is written all over Blanc's face. I suspect that she's busy and can't take another day off to work here, but with how eagerly her sisters actually want to take on some responsibility for once, she probably doesn't want to take it away from them. I see her glance at IF, then back at her sisters, then back to me. I glance at IF, who gives me a trying smile. I think we're both aware of how this is likely going to go down, so I mentally prepare myself.

Lady Blanc closes her eyes, takes a breath, and delivers her reply to her waiting sisters.

"Unfortunately, I have a meeting tomorrow morning that I can't make virtual because of what it entails. While I can ask the hotel to extend our stay, based on the circumstances that have brought us to this situation in the first place, I'm worried about leaving the two of you alone here."

The twins look devastated at this, understandably so.

I look at IF again, who gives me a look that asks if I'm ready for this. I quietly nod to her and after about five seconds, IF gives a nod back.

"Lady Blanc."

Everyone, save IF, who has a tired, but knowing look on her face, turns towards me. The twins look up with hope in their eyes, as if knowing what I'm about to say.

This isn't about doing it just because they're goddesses. I'm also fairly sure that Lady Blanc would much rather just finally have this done away with. However, I can sympathize with the twins. What it's like to be given responsibility and feeling proud of it. It's just like when I was slowly given more and more to do in the shop, culminating in owning it. If someone were to take that away from me, then...

"If you would please entrust them to me for even just one day more, I would be most gracious."

I pour as much of my backed up politeness into it. A slow but sure bow, my hands clasped together at my waist as I do so, not rising as I have not been spoken to yet. Even my tone is one of great humility, understanding that I have asked to have two CPU Candidates put into my care even for twenty-four hours.

"I can watch for you as well, Blanc."

I hear a sigh from Lady Blanc as if she's asking "You too, IF?" before she speaks.

"Elliot, look up."

I quietly rise from my polite bow, finding Lady Blanc with a… conflicted look on her face. "If you are offering, I will permit two days at the most. However, they do have their own responsibilities that they'll need to do back home, so they may be pulled away in case of an emergency."

"Then, I will humbly accept, Lady Blanc."

She then looks at her younger sisters and nods. "Ram, Rom, I want you both here at the same time we arrived. Am I understood?"

"Y-yes, of course, sis!"

"Yeah, we'll be here!"

"I will also be requesting an honest performance evaluation from Elliot afterwards, so no slacking. I have a few things to discuss with him as well, but as the two of you are done, please go back to the hotel. We'll get your uniforms washed this evening."

"Mhm!"

The two twins run out of the hotel, looking happier than they did ten minutes ago. Of course, this good mood is then dampered by Lady Blanc's head creaking slowly towards me. There's a… deathly silence that hangs in the air, neither of us saying a word for a solid minute.

"...please take good care of them."

"I'll be here, Blanc, don't worry about it. Just put in a word with the Guild and they'll understand. I'll even walk them to and from the hotel if you give me the address."

"Thank you, IF. I'll indulge in your offer."

"No problem. I'm going to head out for a bit and get my things back. Thanks for the pick me up, but I'll be back soon, okay?" IF says, getting up from her seat. "Stay in one piece, got it?"

"I'll try."

IF only laughs as she takes her suitcases and heads outside, leaving me alone with Lady Blanc. The atmosphere is overwhelming despite her not saying a word. Half of me wants to apologize, but since I moved of my own will, I know better than to offer a hollow apology.

"I'll do my best, Lady Blanc." I say, forcing myself to look into her eyes to convey as much sincerity as I can.

"I'm not worried about that." Lady Blanc says, shaking her head. "I don't actually doubt in your ability to watch over them and I know you'd do almost anything to make sure nothing happened to them. What I'm worried about is that they'll say something by accident."

"Can you… clarify that?" I ask, but I have a feeling I already know the answer.

"When we were outside today, there were already some people who tried to get information about the gala and you, as despite the deception, it seems some people aren't so easily shaken and while it's passed for now, a scoop of that level is simply irresistible. I believe they think that Ram and Rom will spill a little more easily; however, I was able to steer the conversation away. I suspect that's why Neptune showed up as well, just to buy some time, even if I didn't tell her to. I'll brief them on it tonight, but I'm just a bit worried. You've tried to put that all behind you, I would hate to bring it up again."

Ha… right on point with what I was thinking. Geez, it seems like that gala just won't leave me alone, huh? Even now it's causing all sorts of problems for me. I wonder if I should just come clean at some point…

"So, please do your best."

That last line, I feel, is not coming from Lady Blanc, the goddess that watches over the nation of Lowee. That is coming from Blanc, the older sister of two twins who are growing up in the world with a lot of responsibility on their shoulders and Blanc, someone concerned at what being involved with someone famous can do to a person's life.

I look down at her, meeting her gaze. "I will, Lady Blanc."

She closes her eyes and exhales. "I'll hope so, for your sake. With IF watching, I feel that shouldn't be as worrisome, but please take extraordinary care."

"Mhm."

"Regardless, thank you for allowing us this opportunity. It… was a bit fun, too." Lady Blanc says with a smile. "I hope you've learned a few things as well."

"I will kind of miss the help, actually."

"Well, perhaps you can hire IF part time. I'm sure that she's looking for something else to do outside of working for the Guild. And it will give you the chance to see her in something other than her 'uniform'."

"Ma—" I pause, realizing what Lady Blanc just said. "L-lady Blanc? Er, did…"

"Did I…?" She asks, leading off and forcing me to fill in the rest. A pretty nasty technique, I would say.

I look away, shaking my head. "Never mind, maybe I'm just hearing things."

I remember that IF mentioned that the goddesses used to think IF and I were involved _like that_ , back when they first found out we knew each other. I thought we had cleared that up though…? I hope it isn't the case that Lady Blanc thinks that we see each other that way. She did seem kind of annoyed when it was revealed I was dancing with Lady Noire, though, and she's…

Agh, it would clear this all up if I just asked, but there's no way I can bring myself to ask that question straight to her face! It's just too embarrassing!

"I see. Please get some rest, then, Elliot."

"Well, the shop is still open for a while longer."

"Then, I think I'll stay a little longer."

I can only sigh a little bit, but I can feel the smile on my face. "Mhm, mhm, please do as you like, Lady Blanc."

I pause, realizing that Lady Blanc didn't correct me.

"Lady Blanc?"

"Yes?"

"You didn't correct me this time or the past few times, thinking about it."

"Ah, well… you see comfortable enough standing up to me for something you seem to believe in, so there's no need to force it anymore. You've learned part of the lesson I wanted to give you." She says with an understanding nod. "Please feel free to call me what you'd like."

"I see. Then, as you requested earlier, I will still call you by Blanc while you're working here."

For some reason, it doesn't feel so strained to say that. Maybe that incredible hurdle from earlier was just so high that everything else in comparison doesn't seem so bad. Or maybe it's because it was still a request from Lady Blanc.

"That's fine with me. You can feel free to keep calling me that even afterwards, but I don't think you will."

"That's a bit of a tall order, after all."

"Well, maybe one day. I think, as it seems we're going to continue being a part of your life, that it would be for the best if you could address as friends. You might never think of yourself as our equal, but I know you are capable of accomplishing that much."

"You think very highly of me, Lady Blanc."

"You've done a lot to earn that." She says, turning away and facing the window looking outside. "It's why I even let Rom and Ram go through with tomorrow and the day afterwards."

"Thank you for trusting me, then."

It's fairly quiet after that, until the evening rush. Lady Blanc and I, with our new technique of calling out the orders, manage to sweep through everything without as much of a hitch. I'm going to really miss having someone around like this. Sure, I had my part timer before, but it's got a different feeling. Like I can really trust that Lady Blanc's got my back, through and through.

It kind of reminds me of…

"I'm back. Sorry it took so long, but my driver got lost. Seriously…" IF says, coming through the door looking quite exhausted, breaking my train of thought.

"You should've stayed home and rested. I never did get around to making that latte, right? Let me get on that. " I say, starting to prepare it for her, but IF catches me and waves me off.

"Make it a double shot espresso."

"Coming right up. And let me guess, a…" I snap my fingers, trying to think about what she'd like. "...ah, cheese danish and a slice of cookies and cream cake."

"Read my mind."

Blanc takes the card that IF offers and rings her up while I prepare her drink. They seem to be discussing something, but I can't quite hear what they're talking about as it's all very hush hush.

As I slide the cup of coffee towards IF, I see her quietly turn her head away, looking unusually… nervous?

"Is something wrong…?" I ask, looking at the two pastries that Lady Blanc had given her, which seem to be right. "Seriously, I'll call a taxi for you if you're not feeling well, IF."

"N-no, it's not that. I'm fine," I give her another look, "I'm fine!" she insists.

"You don't seem fine…"

I see IF give a nasty glance towards Lady Blanc, who only offers an enigmatic smile in return. I hope it isn't what I think it is.

"Anyways, um… hey, Elliot, are you free this weekend?" IF asks, probably feeling self-conscious now that Lady Blanc may have said something.

"I… I should be." I say, now _also_ feeling self-conscious and hyperaware of Lady Blanc.

"Then, well, want to learn how to ride a motorcycle? I can teach you." IF says with just the slightest hint of a stammer.

"O-oh, yeah, sure! It'll be something to look forward to this weekend."

She nods, then pauses as if mentally checking something off. "Alright. Sunday morning, then?"

"Works for me. Just text me when you're coming."

IF nods before starting to eat her food, no longer meeting my gaze. I hear what sounds like a low chuckle coming from Lady Blanc, who is now untying her apron.

"Gotta go?"

"Yes, need to catch the last flight out, actually."

"Are you sure you'll make it with the traffic?"

"That won't be a problem if it comes down to it, since I can always just fly over it. We just try not to, since it tends to cause quite a bit of reactions." Lady Blanc says with a knowing grin. She pauses her departure at the door, turning towards me. "Thank you for everything, Elliot, and good luck."

"I guess I'll need it."

"And IF, please do your best to help him."

IF only nods as she's busy chewing her food. With that, Lady Blanc gives a slight bow before exiting the shop. I hear a loud sigh from IF, who slumps down in her chair. I can't help but sigh, too.

"Lady Blanc has the wrong idea, doesn't she?"

"You could say that."

"You do seem a bit nervous around me, though…" I say, earning an audible groan from IF, who this time slumps forward, her arms folding and forming a pillow for her head.

"How am I _not_ supposed to be, when Lady Blanc says that kind of thing. Of course I'm going to be a little conscious of how it sounds like a date!"

I look away, finding the floor pretty interesting as I nod. "I guess so, huh…"

"A-anyways, on a happier note, well, maybe not so happy," IF says as she sits up straight. "Don't worry about the twins. I'll be watching over them, and if Lady Blanc's putting in the word, there won't be any problems. I just have to make sure they don't do anything, right?"

"Or mention um, you know…" I glance around, just confirming that no one's in the shop. "The gala."

"Yeah. That shouldn't be too much of a problem. The only issue will be if there's an emergency that I need to handle, but with any luck…"

"...you won't finish that sentence because you'll jinx it."

IF snorts, rolling her eyes. "Alright, alright, I won't fi—withanyluckwewon'thaveanyproblems!"

"Oh, come on!"

IF only laughs, the previously awkward atmosphere finally fading. "Well, why don't you tell me all about today? I'm _dying_ to hear about how it must've all went. Mostly so I can tell Noire. Maybe you can convince her to put on a maid outfit and help out here."

"Of course not, I'd never ask such a thing!"

"Okay, what if someone else did? Or what if _she_ offered?"

"IF!"

IF seems to take great enjoyment in my reactions, her laughter becoming louder and more uncontrolled by the second. "Hahaha, okay, okay, I'll stop! Really, though, I want to hear how it all went."

"You're pretty eager, huh?"

"Well, vacation was nice, but it was a little lonely since it was by myself. Usually I kind of like being alone, but something about it just felt off. So, just entertain me a little, okay? I haven't gotten to hear your voice in a while. In person, anyways."

Geez, that's a pretty embarrassing thing to say… but, it makes me just a bit happy to hear.

"Okay, okay. Let me make myself a cup of hot chocolate, and we'll talk over cake."

* * *

 **And wow okay this went on a lot longer than I thought. Goddamn at this rate the Blanc arc is going to have a chapter that's like 40 pages long, holy shit. Like man, we used to be at the point where 13 chapters was considered long for me, and now as we keep going on these chapters keep stretching out and now 16 pages is like a good stopping point. Keep in mind that the climax of Noire's arc was 27 pages and that was a huge stretch as it was double what I usually go. Assuming similar pace for the "it's all coming together" moment, we're gonna end up hitting a 35 page mark lol**

 **Oh lawdy but yeah, not too much to unpack this chapter. Fairly chill, just everyone working and Elliot getting a bit used to being around the goddesses. I kind of liked having it escalate, to where Elliot is usually very timid around the goddesses, but when he has something he really believes in, he can summon the courage to do something. Doubly so when IF is there as support.**

 **So of course, this isn't the end** _ **just**_ **yet. Next time will be the twins taking a bit more center stage as I'd like to involve them just a little bit more than just the instigators of this entire arc. Their characters are kind of easy to write when you put them together as they have a natural dynamic, after all. I also liked the idea that they're happy to be given a little more responsibility and so despite the logistics difficulty, Blanc was at least willing to let them willingly do a job. Served as a good character moment for Elliot, too, when he got to speak a little bit about remembering what it was like to earn people's trust.**

 **Regardless, just a bit of fun at the end with some easy ship tease. It was kind of hinted at earlier that on a personal level, Blanc likes the idea of IF and Elliot, such as Blanc mentioning her to him and also yes, Blanc feeling slightly annoyed during the gala when the switcheroo happened and plot twist, it's Noire he's dancing with.**

 **Anyways, that should be all from me. See you all next chapter!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18:** Singing in the Rain

* * *

"Fight-o!"

"Fight-o!" The twins respond, raising their pamphlets high up in the air as I raise my fist to pump them up.

"It's predicted to rain today, maybe a sixty percent chance, so if it does, come right inside. I don't want you two getting soaked."

The twins cheerfully promise to do so as they run outside, ready to tackle the challenges of Wednesday. Yesterday went fairly smoothly, which was nice, so really I just have to survive only one more day.

"You're pretty good with kids, aren't you?" IF asks as we watch the two of them already start greeting people outside.

"I wouldn't say that. I've just learned how to get along with Lady Rom and Lady Ram."

"That's a lie, Elliot. I still remember when we got caught in that rainstorm, back when you first met Nepgear. That woman with the two kids, after her umbrella got blown away. You swooped in and just gave up your umbrella, then made nice with those two kids." IF says with a knowing grin.

"Ah, so you remember that, huh…?"

It seems like something so small to remember, so I can't help but wonder why IF remembers it. I suppose a day we got utterly soaked might be something to remember.

"Well, it's not like it was hard just to say hello and give them a good smile, right? It's just what I'd do for anyone."

"No, that's all wrong!"

IF and I sigh as the third member of the party, Compa, interrupts. She started tagging along when she found out IF was going to be watching over the cafe while Lady Rom and Lady Ram were here, but so far she's mostly just interrupted the dynamic that IF and I usually have. Not that it's unwelcome, but…

...come to think of it, it's not really that annoying, but why am I getting so worked up about it? It's not even that major, just like, a small itch that won't go away.

"That's when you should say something like 'It's amazing that you remember that'!"

"Compa…" IF says, shaking her head, but Compa merely holds her balled hands up in front of her chest.

"But, it really is impressive that you'd remember a day like that, IF!"

IF waves her off, with Compa pouting in the background. "Oh yeah, I'm sure glad to remember a day I got soaked in the rain. Probably only because of Elliot's reaction to learning I knew Nepgear was priceless. I should've taken a picture of your face."

"You nearly gave me a heart attack with that!"

"Probably why I remember it so fondly."

"Oho, so it's a _fond_ memory~?"

You walked right into that one, IF…

Ah, this might be the reason why. It's probably the fact Compa keeps teasing IF and I about a relationship despite the fact IF hasn't said a thing to indicate any interest in that. However, based on her reaction from the gala and her teasing from before, I think she's gotten the wrong idea. I'd like to correct her, but finding a way to transition the conversation into that topic is… difficult.

Though, even though we haven't said anything regarding a relationship or interest in such, I think we're both still feeling a bit self conscious about our planned outing, so there's been a 'silent agreement' of sorts just to avoid the topic.

Ha… it feels like I'm back with my girlfriend from high school again, enduring yet another round of teasing about how far we've gone. Things like "So, did you sneak a kiss in as the movie started" or "I heard Elliot visited your house while your parents weren't home".

Of course, despite the fact I'm not the best at reading people, in this case I can rely on months of personal experience to avoid stepping on all of the landmines.

But on the other hand…

"What's wrong with saying that?"

This person in front of me, despite being a high class probably-spy and someone able to go toe-to-toe in terms of wit with the goddesses can't even see the trap being spun in front of her. IF is normally on top of her game with this sort of thing, but I feel it's a combination of the fact she keeps focusing on the twins to make sure that they're not getting into trouble, watching the cafe in general so no troublemakers show up, and the fact Compa is her friend which is why IF has her guard lowered.

"Well, from what I remember, the two of you were waiting around for a while, weren't you? What part of that memory was fond?"

"Didn't I just tell you?"

"Oh, right, it was because Ell—"

"Ah, the vanilla latte and chai tea!" I call out, grabbing the attention of a young man who comes up to the counter to get them as I put them into a drink holder and slide them over to him.

I try to avert my gaze, expecting to see an annoyed look from Compa, but when I glance over I only see her smile a smile that I would be terrified to see on Lady Neptune's face. It's the kind of smile I saw right before Lady Neptune unmasked Lady Noire as Costumer. A smile that says _"Is that how it's going to be?"_

It seems I've awakened a sleeping tiger. Goodness, it's always the nice ones. What a mistake. My attention is somewhat divided though, as I have to handle the shop, so… please forgive me if I leave you behind, IF!

I mostly tune out what Compa and IF are discussing as I continue to slog through the morning rush, preparing drinks and pastries for the longer line today. I do miss having Lady Blanc here, though. It made everything so much smoother, but at the same time it's quite the fun challenge. It's not as bad as when all four goddesses showed up though, the days after that were definitely the busiest.

Besides, I can't let the shop down. My pride won't allow for it.

"Good job." IF says as I lightly strike the counter with an open hand in a small celebration, finishing the last of the morning rush orders.

"Haha, thanks."

"So, as I was saying before—"

With that, the door chimes open, interrupting Compa. Lady Rom and Lady Ram run in, coming up to the counter. I move over to the other side to greet them, kneeling down to be on their height level.

"Yes, girls, what is it?"

"U-um!" Lady Rom says, hiding her mouth with some pamphlets. "There's a big gathering of people in one of the plazas nearby…"

"Yeah, I heard someone say that a high school marching band finished a live performance!"

"Can we go and advertise there…? We won't slack off, we prom—"

I pat both of them on the head and smile. "I trust you. Make sure you take your umbrellas in case it rains, okay? IF, can you go with them?"

"Sure." IF says, likely glad for a break from Compa's teasing.

"Wait, actually." I say, glancing at the twins. This is a good time for me to show my trust in them, after all. "I said that I trust you two, so you don't need IF to go along. Do you think you two can handle it by yourselves?"

"We've taken down big monsters before, this won't be a problem!" Lady Ram says, pumping her fist up. "We'll do it!"

I glance at Lady Rom, who has a light blush and behind the pamphlet I can see a genuine smile. Being trusted definitely feels good, I bet.

"Alright, please be back in thirty minutes. If you aren't, I'll come and search for you myself, okay? It's my responsibility as this cafe's owner." I say, standing up. "Really, though. I wouldn't want to make your sister mad."

"Hehehe, you might need a new job, right?"

I can only sigh at Lady Ram's teasing, as she laughs and grabs Lady Rom's hand as they run out the door. Before of course, running back in and getting their umbrellas before leaving again.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sure that if Blanc blows the shop to smithereens, that Noire would hire you in a heartbeat. Plus Nep seemed to enjoy your pudding, so she might fight for you to be employed with her."

"IF, if I drop dead from a stress-induced heart attack, may my post-mortem lawyer hold you responsible."

IF laughs at that while I scowl as I move back over to my usual side of the counter. "Haha, well, sure. I'll just flee Planeptune in that case and claim refuge in Leanbox. Vert's offered me citizenship there before and it's still open."

"That's because Lady Vert is dying for anyone she can treat as a little sister~" Compa says with a big smile.

"Little sister?"

"Well, of course." Compa says, sitting up as she faces me. "Nepnep has Nepgear, Noire has Uni, and Blanc has Rom and Ram."

"Vert has Chika, though." IF says with a smile that makes it sound more like a joke.

"Chika's a little…"

"Whoa, _wow_ Compa, I didn't think you had it in you to not compliment someone."

"She's… overprotective?" Compa says with a strained smile. "We don't talk so often, so it's a bit hard to really think about her. Kind of like Kei, too."

"That's because Kei's a workaholic. Though Elliot was crushing on her for a bit."

"Hey, that's not true!"

"I mean, only because Noire came waltzing into your life."

"Mghghgh…!"

I lose the capacity for speaking properly in the face of IF's relentless teasing. It's normally fine when it's just us two, but I feel more self-conscious about it since there's a third person in the mix. Might be because I'm a bit on edge when it comes to mentioning Lady Noire due to the whole thing Lady Blanc warned me about—that it's possible the twins might leak something.

"Haha, alright, I'll stop, I'll stop. Shame it's been a while since she's visited, right? Probably only here as it was conveniently close by and you got lucky Nep brought everyone here. Imagine that, though, that she was friends with another guy named Elliot."

I notice IF glance over at a table, where some people quickly write something down. While I'm not any better at lying, I can only laugh mostly at how blatant IF seems to be, though it's probably working in our favor.

"You sure that it's fine for you to be here again, though?" I ask, waving to someone who walks in the door. I quickly take their order and start preparing it, with IF talking behind me.

"Well, Blanc requested it. Not like anyone can really say 'no' to that, especially if Nep backs it." IF says, though I notice that Compa looks a bit down when IF brings it up out of the corner of my eye. There's a quick silent conversation between them, I think, as when Compa looks back over at me, she puts on a smile.

"I see—ah, thank you, please come again." I say, handing the two sugars one cream coffee to my latest customer. "Oh, wow, look at that."

Certainly a uniform I haven't seen in a while. My old high school's marching band, led by Lady Ram and Lady Rom, all of them carrying various amounts of umbrellas. I must've not noticed that it started raining…

I move over to the door and open it, letting everyone inside.

"Oh, wait!" Lady Ram says as she enters the cafe, closing her umbrella while facing the marching band members. "Welcome to Lapin House!"

"W-welcome to Lapin House!" Lady Rom follows, eliciting an "Awwww!" from the students.

"Mhm, welcome to Lapin House, everyone. Good jobs, girls."

I hold the door open for everyone to come inside, with the rain starting to come down pretty hard. I don't remember it being this ba—

I feel something, or some _things_ quickly brace up against my leg as a flash of light and quick crash that could only be the sound of thunder echo out. Sheesh…

"It's okay, you two." I say, letting the door close as the last person has made it inside. With that, I then put a hand on each of the two girls, patting their heads. "You'll be fine. Come on, let's go get an apple juice."

It's a bit hard to shuffle over, but eventually Lady Rom and Lady Ram let go of the vice grip around my leg, instead choosing just to cling to my apron. I suppose that while they are goddesses, even goddesses have their own fears. And they seem pretty young, too, so I wouldn't fault them for being afraid of lightning.

"I'll be with everyone in just a moment. Think about what kind of warm drink you'd like while we wait for the rain to pass by, okay?" I say after giving Lady Rom and Lady Ram an apple juice and a pastry of their choosing.

There's certainly a lot of people, but fortunately after the morning rush it's not like there's a ton of people taking up space. Plus, with all the heavy rain I doubt there'll be a big lunch rush if everyone stays here, and some of them are using their instrument cases as seating.

"Ah, excuse me." IF says as I slide over a latte to one of the students. She takes out her phone and picks it up, with her expression darkening in the next second.

"IF?" I ask as she ends the call, putting her phone back into her pocket.

"Elliot, Compa, kitchen for a second."

Both of us nod, though I leave the twins another two bottles of juice as IF brings us both inside, pulling us as far in away from the door as possible.

"What's going on, Iffy?"

"Emergency call. Looks like the storm's spreading out over some of the nearby areas, so it's driving some of the Dogoos mad. I'm heading out to the countryside area on my motorcycle since the trains might be out."

"I don't…"

"Gregory lives out there, doesn't he?" IF asks, looking right into my eyes.

"Y… yeah." I mumble, glancing down at the ground.

"I'm going to make sure everyone there's okay."

"Don't they have anyone closer? It's dangerous to even go out there in these conditions."

IF clenches her fist and pumps it. "They tend not to field too many people out there, so it's best if I go. Besides, I have to pull my own weight. I brought you and Compa here so that way you two can hold the fort while I'm gone. That, and you won't panic about where I went."

"I'm going to worry, Iffy…" Compa says before being wrapped up into a hug by IF. "Geez… that isn't going to always work."

"I'll be fine. I promise." IF says, letting go of her friend. "Just keep a hot chocolate for me to come back to, okay?"

"Okay."

"Elliot…!" Compa half-shouts, but covers her mouth.

"I knew you'd understand." IF says, patting me on the shoulder. "I owe you one after this, okay?"

"But hey." I call out as IF starts walking away. "Don't make me have to worry about you."

I see IF give a relaxed, warm smile as she is likely remembering our conversation after the gala. "I'll be back before you know it."

Before we can get another word in, she's already out the door. I hear Compa sigh, half in frustration, half in acceptance.

"There she goes again…"

"Compa?"

"Oh, haha, it's nothing, Elliot." Compa says, flashing me a comforting smile. "It's just that well, Iffy is being Iffy again."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"Hmmm… she's talked about her life at the office sometimes, right?" Compa asks, tilting her head to the left as she puts a finger on her chin.

"Sometimes, yes. She's brought up before that some people don't exactly view her friendship with the goddesses positively."

"That's one of saying it, maybe. She really didn't want to take off during the gala because of that, too."

I nod in agreement. "I remember she said that people might view it as her asking Lady Neptune to get her out of her duties."

"Mhm… it's why Iffy tries so hard, sometimes. They probably don't even care in the long run, but she wants to be someone who's seen as honest and deserving of what she has." Compa says, a definite gravity present in the words she's saying. "So, no matter how many times Iffy helps save the world, she'll always try her best."

"That's just…"

I can't help but feel just a bit angry about that. She's already accomplished so much and yet some kind of jealousy makes them belittle it all. I can still remember high school, when Melanie pushed herself really hard to score higher on those standardized tests. I remember the sleepless nights that we had, staying late at the library since I didn't have to worry about them as I was going to move into taking over the shop. She scored pretty damn high, too.

If it had just been a low score, that'd be fine. But if someone had said "Despite the fact you scored in the top 5%, we're denying you for no other good reason", then certainly I would've done something…!

I take a moment to catch myself before I say something stupid. Come on, Elliot, calm down. There's nothing you can really do in this situation and you have more important matters at hand.

"...was I wrong to ask her to take off on that day, then?" I ask, trying to get away from the previous topic.

"No, no you weren't." Compa says, taking my head and making me look into her eyes. "Don't think any less of that. She told me about you, you know?"

"She did?"

"That's why she almost took off on that day, just because you kept suggesting it. I think, if you hadn't been there with, you know who, right, that she would've taken the day off." Compa pauses, then takes my hands into hers. "So, Elliot, please keep being there for Iffy, okay? She needs someone like you."

"Well, when you put it like that…" I say with a small grin despite the heavy atmosphere. "I didn't have any intention of leaving her."

"That's great! Oh, wait, you have customers!"

"Ah, right, right! Gotta get going…!"

* * *

The rain hasn't stopped in the past two hours and it is still coming down pretty hard. I keep checking my phone, looking for any sign from IF, but there's nothing.

Please be okay…

She'll be fine, I tell myself. It's IF. There's no one in the world who could beat her. Except maybe the goddesses. But there's a small itch in my head that says if IF was really that driven, then maybe… she might just stand a chance.

I look up from my phone, finding Compa reaching out from across the counter, tapping me on the shoulder. She offers a healing smile, as if to say that it'll all be okay.

"Thanks."

"Hehehe, Iffy will be fine. I didn't want her to go, but she'll win against whatever's out there. Iffy always manages to win."

"I'm glad we can agree on that."

I glance over at Lady Ram and Lady Rom, who are helping to clean the tables and take additional orders from anyone. Seems like everything is going fairly smoothly so far. I think I've managed to nail down who the tabloid journalists in this room are too, but I'm not really in a position to force anyone out the door. Not in this rainstorm, anyways.

The occasional lightning strikes also seem to have stopped, but I made sure to keep them safe by switching to my paper plates and taking all of the drinks out myself to the various tables. It's the least I can do for them.

 _Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt._

My heartbeat soars as I hear a buzzing sound, feeling the vibration in my pocket. I don't even bother checking who it is.

"IF?"

" _Hey, Elliot."_

"Oh, thank the goddesses."

" _I told you, I'd be okay. Uh, not sure why you thought it was me, though. Seems like it should've been Gregory's number."_

Huh?

I pull the phone away for a second, seeing that it was in fact, Gregory's number. To the side, I can hear Compa stifling her giggles and when I put the receiver back next to my ear, I can hear Gregory's guffawing in the background.

"Well, I um… I just assumed it was you, I guess. I was worried. Why are you using his phone, anyways?"

" _One of the enemies made a huge splash. My phone's normally waterproof, but it must've been more than it could've handled."_

"Geez..."

" _We've all got those days. How's the shop holding up over there?"_

"We're still drenched like crazy, but we're fine. How about you?"

" _Monsters have been subdued, so I'm currently crashing in Gregory's place until the rain stops. He was nice enough to call out when I was making my way back."_

"Sounds like him, alright." I say, nodding.

"Hey, Elliot."

"Hm? What is it, Compa?"

"Can I go upstairs to take a phone call?" she asks, holding her phone screen towards me to show it's Lady Neptune calling her. "I don't want anyone to overhear, in case."

"Oh, yeah."

I pause, fishing around my pockets for the key upstairs before handing it over to her.

"Make sure to lock it behind you, too."

"I will, thank you!"

"No problem. Ah, sorry for the interruption there, IF."

" _I hope you hid your magazines well."_ IF says as I put the phone back next to my ear.

"Magazines?"

" _You don't need to play dumb, Elliot. You should probably make sure they're well hidden."_

"I don't follow."

" _You mean to tell me you don't even keep one copy of Playgoddess in your room?"_

"I don't keep magazines like that! How do you even know what those are, that's not a question that you would be asking!"

" _Ah, well, I just hear stuff from around the office. I overhear things like that, where some guys will talk about hiding something under their mattress for when a woman might come over. I mean, Compa's not exactly prudish about it, but she uh… she can do the disappointed parent stare very well."_

"How well?"

" _Well, one time we ran into a robot ninja who threw uh,_ adult _magazines at us and—"_

"You know what, suddenly I don't feel like knowing any more about it."

" _So anyways, this means I have permission to conduct a full room sweep, right? I'd like to confirm that you're not lying to me, since I can't see your face. Seriously, your expression always gives away that you're lying."_

"That's an invasion of privacy."

" _So you_ do _have something to hide."_

"Yes, like my poetry from my ninth grade creative writing class."

" _Oh, this I have to read."_

"Hmph, well, if you've got the energy to joke around, I guess I don't need to worry about you anymore. You're fine, right?"

" _Other than being soaked to the bone, yes. Keep a cup of hot chocolate warm for me, okay?"_

"Will do. Also, I think Lady Neptune called Compa to ask about you. She's worried, so I'd give her a call if you can." I say, trying to focus on the conversations happening around me. I definitely noticed some of the people I thought were reporters trying to strike up more conversation with Lady Rom and Lady Ram, though with all the people in here and all the instruments, it's a bit hard to keep track.

"— _liot?"_

"S-sorry, I just… I'm a bit distracted, you know?"

" _Oh, right, right. I shouldn't take you away from your work. We'll talk later, okay?"_

"Mhm. Stay safe."

With that, I end the call, looking at the screen which now has my reflection in it. I try to think about where I can interject in the conversations going on without it coming off as too obvious. With it, I confirm that I definitely should never, ever be a spy. I've really got no sense of subtlety.

Though, thinking about it…

...wasn't I _not_ wearing my contacts that morning? I distinctly remember taking them off before going to bed, but during breakfast after I woke up…

I mentally replay that memory in my head. I woke up to Lady Neptune taking pictures, followed by Lady Noire yelling, and then ordering breakfast, which is when the CPU Candidates knocked on the door as IF went to go get it…

My heart sinks as I realize that I had let my guard down too early. While all of the goddesses had been accounted for and there seemed to be an unspoken (at least to me) agreement of what to do, I was unaware if the information had been given to the CPU Candidates. I think that IF would've at least kept it under wraps, as to avoid potential information spillages.

"Though, it does seem quite mysterious that there are two Elliots running around, right?" One of the people in the crowd asks, apparently captivated by the ongoing rumorspinning happening.

"Yeah, and the only difference is their eyes, isn't it?"

"But the one who went with Lady Noire to the gala, he looked super rich. Like, owned a franchise of coffee shops."

"Hey, you can't say that, that's rude…!"

I give a smile, waving it off. "No, no, I'm well aware of what my lifestyle here is. While I'd like to be that rich, I think I'm actually very happy just having this store."

It's not a lie at all, that perhaps I'd like to have a few more customers, but it's not so much of the money, but… I just want this shop to succeed. I've been entrusted with its growth by the founder. As such, I absolutely cannot allow it to fail. I want for Gregory one day to come here, look at the shop, and say that he was proud to turn it over to me.

"U-um, Lady Ram, did you meet this other Elliot?"

"Ho, scoping out a catch, Helen?"

"No Sam, shut up!"

I try not to chuckle at the bickering between the students. It's been a while since my friends and I met up, hasn't it…? My life really has been a blur since meeting the goddesses.

"I did, but our big sister says we shouldn't talk about him."

"Huh? Why not?"

"O-our sister says we should respect his privacy!" Lady Rom chimes in, which seems to send a ripple through the crowd.

"Yeah! If he didn't want to reveal who he wasn't, we shouldn't either."

"But, shouldn't he have expected being such a major focus?" One of the students asks from the back corner.

"Mhm!" One of the people who I guessed to be a reporter adds on. "He's a public figure, now that he came out like that."

"Th… that doesn't mean we have to talk about him, though." Lady Rom replies, aided by her sister.

I pray that Compa returns faster, as while I'd like to interject, I can't help but feel as if I'll make it worse. If I get a question turned on me, I'll just end up either having to give a half-truth or straight up lie. The latter of those two would get caught immediately as I'm still a terrible liar.

I try not to sigh, thinking about it. Maybe the rain isn't helping with my mood about all this, but… I've always ended up needing someone's help, haven't I? The last time it rained like this IF called Lady Nepgear, the gala was a joint effort between tons of people, and whenever something happens I'm always so quick to go to IF. And despite the fact she's already got so much on her plate with what Compa told me, she's never said "No". I really have been taking her for granted, haven't I?

I hear the twins slowly getting cornered by the reporters, though. No, rather than directly asking them anything, they're using the escalating tension to try to get them to say something that would reveal details.

"Are they just trying to conceal some kind of scandalous relationship?" is met with "No, Noire and him said they were just friends". In turn, "Do you believe them" is asked. Things like that, asked in that tone made to anger and annoy you, goading you into responding. And Lady Ram and Lady Rom, Lady Blanc probably told them who I was. And knowing who the 'two' Elliots are, maybe they see it as insulting someone who they seem to be friendly to.

"Excuse me."

I speak up, though it takes my mind a second or two to catch up with the fact that I talked.

"S-sorry, I… just couldn't help but speak up."

Maybe it was the fact that I didn't want to see them struggle alone. Lady Rom and Lady Ram weren't here to deal with a problem that I caused by being afraid of the consequences of being in the spotlight. Therefore, I should deal with it. That's just the right thing to do. If Lady Blanc tries to put any of the fault on the twins, I'll stand up for them.

I put my hands in front of me, folding them together, feeling the pressure on my shoulders as everyone turns towards me. I should've thought this through a little more, but it seems that I always end up doing something foolish. Well, I guess that's how it's been most of the time. Somehow it always manages to work out.

"I think that, while he likely acknowledges that he would be in the eyes of public scrutiny, perhaps he didn't want to reveal who he was because it would radically change his life."

I gesture to the photo of all four goddesses that I have hung in the shop.

"Even my shop was affected quite a ways just by all four goddesses visiting for a day, even though as far as I am told, it just so happened they decided to come together and not that they had all been curious about coming here. How much more for this guy, who took Lady Noire to the gala?

"I think he foresaw what was going to happen. I think you'd really have to be an idiot to not, actually. However, there was probably a reason he went through with it regardless. If Lady Ram and Lady Rom said that they were just friends, then I think we should leave it at that."

That seems to get most of the crowd to calm down, mumbling amongst themselves.

"Then, mister Elliot—" One of the reporters says. "—since we've been unable to get you officially on the record, can you confirm that you really aren't the same Elliot that Lady Noire brought to the gala?"

"I think that my statement speaks for itself, sir. Besides, look at me. Do I _really_ seem like someone who's worthy of that much time from the goddesses?"

"It just seems like you've got an ulterior motive with that answer, it's a bit evasive."

"Well, of course I have a motive behind it. I would like people to stop bothering me about it. It is a bit exhausting, after all. In fact, I was vacationing in Lowee a while ago, and even then people were asking me on the streets if I was the same Elliot. I'd like to be able to enjoy a vacation, is all, so the faster this all fades away, the easier I have it."

It's not a lie, after all. I can only hope that people believe what I say as everyone mumbles amongst themselves.

"But, enough of that heavy topic. Anyone fancy another cup of coffee?"

* * *

Compa comes back down the stairs soon enough, with the call having took so long since Lady Neptune can talk up a storm and Compa is easily distracted. My words seem to have kept the peace for the most part, with Lady Ram and Lady Rom sticking closer to the counter to avoid another cornering.

"Looks like the rain stopped." I say, looking out as the last of the everyone who was in the cafe before leaves, waving to them.

"I should probably get to the hospital, just in case." Compa says, picking up her bag.

"Thanks for everything, today."

"Mhm. Make sure you have a cup of hot chocolate for Iffy."

I wave to her as she leaves, running down the sidewalk. In the reflection in of the glass, I see Lady Ram and Lady Rom looking just a bit glum.

"You two didn't do anything wrong." I say, turning towards them.

"But…!" Lady Rom says before trailing off. "We almost…"

"I know, but you didn't. And that's—"

"Rom, Ram!"

The door is thrown wide open by Lady Blanc, or perhaps I should say Lady White Heart in her HDD form, who immediately scoops the two twins who come running for her in her arms.

"Thank goodness you two are safe."

"Sis, I can't… breathe…" Lady Ram says, with Lady Blanc loosening her embrace. She then quickly looks over them as she transforms back to her usual state.

"Are you two both fine?"

"M-mhm!" Lady Rom says, giving a nice, wide smile. "Elliot took care of everyone while it was storming."

"Good evening, Lady Blanc." I say as she looks up at me. "Can I get you anything?"

"Thank you."

"It was my pleasure." I pause, looking at the clock and realizing that it's actually just past five thirty, with the twins working a bit overtime due to the rain. I'll make sure to send them a bit extra later. "Ah a moment, though," I reach underneath one of the cabinets and grab two envelopes. "There is one last thing. Lady Ram, Lady Rom."

As I step out from behind the counter, the two twins come running up to me. I kneel down, as always, to put myself at their height level.

"Now, as we all know, the first day was a punishment. However, the two days after that were of your own free will. As such, it's only fair that you be paid for doing your job well."

I catch Lady Blanc giving off a tired, yet somewhat content expression as I hold out the two envelopes for them.

"Thank you for all of the hard work. It was a pleasure having you two working here."

Though, before they can take them, Lady Blanc reaches above them and takes them.

"Aww, come on, sis!" Lady Ram protests, reaching for her envelope but having it held out of reach.

"These are going straight to your savings." Lady Blanc says, closing her eyes and nodding.

"Not fair!"

I can't help but smile a little bit as I stand up, reaching out for the envelopes as well. Lady Blanc catches me, and despite the fact she could easily yank it away from me, doesn't immediately do so.

"Lady Blanc, if I may be so impolite, but I think you can trust them to make good decisions with it."

"You really do spoil them." I hear her mumble, lowering her arms and allowing Lady Ram and Lady Rom to take their envelopes and I retract my hand as well. "You two can't spend all of it in one place, got it?"

Lady Rom nods as she holds the envelope up to her mouth, likely to cover her embarrassment as she looks up at me. Though, from my angle, I can see the smile on her face.

"Hey, Lady Ram, Lady Rom."

"Ehhh? 'Lady' again?" Lady Ram asks, probably being a little too used to me only using her name now.

"Well, you two aren't my employees anymore, so…"

"Um…" Lady Rom says, tugging on my apron. "It's okay if you just use our names, mister Elliot."

"Then, how about if you don't use 'mister', then I won't use 'Lady'?"

"M-mhm!"

I smile, crouching down. "Then, Ram, Rom. There's a nice little candy store about three blocks from here, if you make a right out the door. Personally, I recommend the assorted chocolates that come in a purple box with a golden ribbon. Now then, with that, that's all I have to say. Thank you for being employees of Lapin House."

"Um… thank you for having us!"

"Yeah, it was really fun! Can we work here again sometime?"

"If your sister allows it."

With that, the twins cheer before Lady Ram says something about "Going to the candy store" to her sister before she can react. They're out the door by the time Lady Blanc can even reach out to those high energy girls, leaving her with nothing to do but sigh.

"It looks like I didn't need to worry." Lady Blanc says, looking towards me. "But you do spoil them too much."

"It's a bit hard not to." I say, scratching my cheek. "They did really good. There was a close call earlier when some reporters tried to corner them about the gala still, but they evaded it."

"You're lying."

Lady Blanc's voice cuts deep, stopping me in my tracks as I move back to the other side of the counter.

"Okay, I guess… I stepped in just a bit. But they did their best. They're good kids. I could feel that they didn't like those reporters insinuating things about 'Elliot, the man who was with Lady Noire', knowing that he was the same person as me. You've raised them very well."

"Thank you, for that. I'm glad to know that I've been successful so far. You have nothing negative to say about their performance?"

"Only positives through and through, Lady Blanc. Oh, and of course…"

I reach for one more envelope, holding it out to her.

"You willingly chose to work here on Monday, so…"

"Good grief. You really will cause trouble with that kind of attitude in life."

"I don't… follow?" I ask as Lady Blanc takes the envelope.

"Ah, perhaps I should say it as: You'll cause yourself quite a lot of grief with women if you act that way all the time." She says quite bluntly, though despite the cutting remark there's a bit of a smile underneath it. "Perhaps if you had a girlfriend, you'd understand a little more."

"Ah, I suppose my ex-girlfriend did tend to get a bit upset when I played nice with other girls…" I mumble, scratching the back of my head. "But I don't quite see how it applies right now."

But…

"Though, Lady Blanc."

"Hm?"

"If I could trouble you just… one more time."

"That's a very specific kind of language, Elliot." Lady Blanc says, narrowing her eyes at me. "Well, you've done quite a bit for my sisters and myself, so I'll hear it. However, answer this first: why me?"

"This is… something I don't know if I should talk to Lady Noire about yet, and I'm not that close with Lady Neptune or Lady Vert. You understand me very well and I thought I could turn to you."

She nods, looking around at the now empty shop. "I see. Well, I'm glad that you've opened yourself up a little more. That much will help you when it comes to your friendship with Noire. So, let's hear it."

"I want to come clean about the gala."

* * *

 **Ohohoho. Things are ramping up quite a bit.**

 **Had a bit of fun having Compa back on screen for a bit, back with her usual teasing shenanigans. I don't exactly have too much to say about this chapter, though, as it ends somewhat like when Kei asked Elliot to take Noire to the gala. I did enjoy making a lot of things revolve around this gala as it's been an event that definitely changed Elliot's life, so it doesn't just disappear after it was done. It felt a little more down-to-earth that way, but yeah.**

 **Also yes I couldn't resist a Playboy/Playgoddess joke. Sue me, haha. Also I know people asked about what timeline this was and the mention of a robot ninja who threw magazines would hint this was VII time, but I'm keeping it relatively ambiguous. Since I never mentioned explicitly that the events of VII happened, I think it's more just pulling in elements from previous games for a one-off joke that fits in with the mood. Besides, to me, for a simple slice of life story, I think it's better not to be tied down by the timeline and use the general world at large.**

 **Either way, we're approaching sort of the big hump of the Blanc arc, as if I recall correctly, Chapter 11 was Kei asking Elliot about to gala, then Chapter 13 was the gala. I'm not saying it'll come in two chapters, but I like to think of what happens after Elliot decides to come clean about it as what the Blanc arc has been building up to (i.e. Blanc forcing Elliot to treat the goddesses as equals).**

 **Also as another side note, I've finished planning everything out through the end. I also started actually writing them down physically before typing them, haha. I've gotten a first draft of everything through the end of the Blanc arc, so Soon (tm) lmao. Either way, let me know what you all think, and see you next time!**


End file.
